Janelle Bishop
Encyclopedia
Janel Bishop is a beauty queen from Manchester, New Hampshire
who won the 1991 Miss Teen USA
title. She is the first African American
winner of this pageant.
Bishop represented New Hampshire
in the 1991 Miss Teen USA
pageant held in Biloxi, Mississippi
on August 19, 1991.
She became the first representative from her state to place in the pageant, ranked second after the preliminary competition. In the final competition, Bishop placed third in swimsuit, fourth in interview, and fifth in evening gown, and entered the top six in third place. She went on to receive the second highest score in the top six interview round which guaranteed her a spot in the top 3. Bishop, the first titleholder from New Hampshire, was crowned by outgoing titleholder Bridgette Wilson
of Oregon
. She received more than $150,000 in cash and prizes as part of her prize package. No subsequent teen from New Hampshire has placed at Miss Teen USA.
At the time of her pageant win, Bishop was a student at Manchester West High School
and wished to pursue a career in education.
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
who won the 1991 Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA 1991
Miss Teen USA 1991, the ninth Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on 19 August 1991....
title. She is the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
winner of this pageant.
Bishop represented New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in the 1991 Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA 1991
Miss Teen USA 1991, the ninth Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on 19 August 1991....
pageant held in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
on August 19, 1991.
She became the first representative from her state to place in the pageant, ranked second after the preliminary competition. In the final competition, Bishop placed third in swimsuit, fourth in interview, and fifth in evening gown, and entered the top six in third place. She went on to receive the second highest score in the top six interview round which guaranteed her a spot in the top 3. Bishop, the first titleholder from New Hampshire, was crowned by outgoing titleholder Bridgette Wilson
Bridgette Wilson
Bridgette Leann Wilson-Sampras is an American actress, singer and model. A Miss Teen USA in 1990, Wilson holds several acting roles in television and movies, including the role of Veronica Vaughn in the movie Billy Madison, the role of Elsa Shivers in the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer, and...
of Oregon
Miss Oregon USA
The Miss Oregon USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oregon in the Miss USA pageant.Oregon has only had limited success at Miss USA and has never won the competition. The highest placed Miss Oregon USA was Gail Atchison who finished 2nd runner-up to...
. She received more than $150,000 in cash and prizes as part of her prize package. No subsequent teen from New Hampshire has placed at Miss Teen USA.
At the time of her pageant win, Bishop was a student at Manchester West High School
Manchester High School West
Manchester High School West, known as West High or West, is a public high school located in Manchester, New Hampshire. According to the Blue Book: Manchester High School West Hand Book , the school was officially opened in September 1923 as a grade school and high school, hosting the seventh and...
and wished to pursue a career in education.