Background
Browne"s father, Carl, was born in the West Indies and worked as a narcotics policeman for Kennedy Airport"s Portuguese Authority. Her mother Mercedes, who is half Native American, managed a tuberculosis clinic at Triboro Hospital.
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Cheryl Browne
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Cheryl Adrienne Browne Hollingsworth, Mission Iowa 1970, is a former ballet dancer who was the first African American contestant in the history of the Mission America pageant following the abolition of the pageant"s rule number seven, instituted during the 1930s, which read: "contestants must be of good health and of the white race".
Career
Both work in the financial industry and have two grown children. Browne left New York to attend the Lutheran - based Luther College in Decorah, Iowa at the advice of her minister. She stated in an interview that it was her first venture to the midwest.
According to The Register-Guard, Browne, herself, was "surprised that Iowa, with its conservative traditions, silent majority, and small black population (1 percent of the state"s 1970 population of 2,800,000) was the first state to pick a black girl as its representative."
This backlash followed her to the Mission America 1971 pageant held on September 12, 1970.
Browne drew attention from reporters and from security personnel in Atlantic City who maintained a visible presence during pageant rehearsals. In addition, the Women"s Liberation Front demonstrated at the event.
Brown was not a finalist, however, losing to Mission Texas 1970, Phyllis George. In August 1971, Browne traveled to Vietnam with George, Mission Nevada 1970, Vicky Jo Todd, Mission New Jersey 1970, Hela Yungst, Mission Arizona 1970, Karen Shields, Mission Arkansas 1970, Donna Connelly, and Mission Texas 1970 (George"s replacement), Belinda Myrick.
They participated in a 22-day United Service Organizations tour for American troops that began in Saigon.
Browne graduated from Luther College in 1972.
Achievements
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Cheryl grew up in Jamaica, Queens New York with her three brothers." She studied dance for 16 years prior to the Mission America pageant. While she was an undergraduate there, Browne entered and won the local 1970 Mission Decorah Pageant which enabled her to compete in the Mission Iowa pageant held on June 13, 1970. Browne placed first in the swimsuit competition and performed an original ballet performance for the talent competition to the music of "Scheherazade." She beat the other 19 (white) contestants to win the title of Mission Iowa 1970. This win generated a strong response (some in support and some critical) to newspapers, the Mission Iowa pageant board, and to Browne herself. The criticisms ranged from her ethnic background to the fact that a non-native Iowan won the crown. Browne later commented that she thought "it was one of the last Mission America groups to go to Vietnam.".
