Caressa Cameron: A New Black Miss America Crowned In Las Vegas

A new black Miss America was crowned at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Jan. 30 and her name is Caressa Cameron.

Miss Virginia from Fredericksburg, VA was crowned Miss America 2010 as the final night of the Miss America Pageant was broadcast live from Las Vegas on TLC and hosted by Mario Lopez and TLC's Clinton Kelly.

"You can be and become anything that you want to be, even Miss America," she said.

For the talent portion of the competition, Cameron sang Beyonce's hit single 'Listen,' from the movie, 'Dreamgirls.'
The panel of judges included Republican radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, actress Vivica A. Fox, jazz musician Dave Koz, Miss America 2002 Katie Harman, gymnast Shawn Johnson and former 'American Idol' finalist Brooke White.

Cameron's graceful walk across the stage is just the beginning of a journey that will take her to every corner of the country during her year of service as Miss America 2010.

According to a rep for the organization, she will travel approximately 20,000 miles each month speaking to audiences about her personal platform of "Real Talk: AIDS in America," and acting as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network.

Cameron is a student at Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in Broadcast Communications. She wants to obtain a master's degree in Mass Communications and she ultimately hopes to become an anchor for a television news station.

Along with the title of Miss America 2010, she won a $50,000 scholarship, sponsored by Amway Global, to continue her education.

The crowning of a Miss America began in 1921 in Atlantic City. Now, it's the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation's leading achievement programs.

In 1983, Vanessa L. Williams was the first African American woman crowned Miss America. In 1990, Debbye Turner became the second black woman to win the title. Others who have been crowned include Ericka Dunlap (2004), Erika Harold (2003) and Kimberly Clarice Aiken (1994).

The Miss America Organization provides young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instills a spirit of community service through a variety of nationwide community-based programs.