ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Miss New York, Nia Franklin, has been named 2019 Miss America in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
She was chosen Sunday night from among 51 contestants in the first Miss America pageant to be held without a swimsuit competition in its 98-year history.
Instead, contestants were asked an onstage interview question by other contestants.
And behind the scenes, a revolt was under way among most of the Miss America state organizations who demand that national chairwoman Gretchen Carlson and CEO Regina Hopper resign.
The outgoing Miss America, Cara Mund, says the two have bullied and silenced her, claims that the women deny.
The newly crowned Miss America says she’s glad she didn’t have to wear a swimsuit in order to win the crown and a $50,000 scholarship.
Franklin says she’s happy the pageant eliminated the swimsuit competition this year.
She says she and the other 50 contestants “are more than just that.”
Franklin returns the Miss America crown to New York, which won it three years in a row between 2013 and 2015.
