Miss Black Ohio pageant returns for in-person ceremony after last year's cancellation

With the alluringly bright lights of the Miss Black Ohio pageant forced to fade last year due to COVID-19, a new line of contestants will take center stage on Saturday at the historic Lincoln Theatre.

In celebrating nearly 40 years of Miss Black Ohio, State Pageant Director Fanchon Page, 50, of Columbus, couldn't let the milestone pass without crowning a new queen after last year's cancellation.

"We are excited," said Page, who was crowned Miss Black Ohio for 1996-1997. "I knew we had to keep the show going because it was my 20th year of celebrating, and it was our 39th year of existing. I said we still have to do something." 

The annual event, established in 1982 by Verna Wood Adams who saw a need for a beauty pageant that represented the African American community, has continued to champion young, Black women pursuing a college education by enhancing their self-esteem, promoting community involvement and academic achievement.

The pageant is open to any Black woman pursuing a college degree in Ohio and is 28 years or younger. Each contestant is judged on their confidence, personality, performance and audience connection through an opening dance routine, activewear and eveningwear presentation and onstage questions, Page said.

This year's winner will be selected by judges Doniska Taylor, Miss Central State University 2020; Slyvella Davis Jones, owner of Zeni Fitness in Columbus; and Sonya Pellom, owner and operator of Exquisite Wines and Cigars in Columbus.

While the essence of the program will remain intact, this year's contest will employ several safeguards to ensure the safety of each contestant and guest in attendance.

Along with face coverings, limited capacity and other precautions, only four contestants will compete for the Miss Black Ohio crown (typically, there are eight to 10 contestants), who are vying for a $2,000 educational scholarship and an opportunity to participate in the Miss Black America pageant. .   

Carving out this year's pageant has had no shortage of hiccups, but each contestant has remained committed every step of the way, Page said. 

"We had a couple of jitters in the beginning, and I reassured them that as long as they're comfortable, their support team will be just as comfortable," she said.

"We made it work, but the girls have stood up and have been brave. I'm so happy for them because they could've said, 'No, it's COVID-19. I'm not doing it.' But they were brave enough to say 'I'll do it.'"

Although Saturday's pageant won't flow as it has in years past, contestant and Columbus native Michaela James, 21, who previously competed in 2019, said Page has done her best to make sure she and the other participants are comfortable with the event's regulations. 

"It's going to be different for sure because we have limited people," said James, who currently studies criminal justice at Daymar College in Columbus. "I just think with COVID-19, a lot of people were hesitant, which is why there's only four of us. But I think (Page) did a good job putting it together and keeping it safe as well."

Unlike James, contestant Tai Johnson, 21, a native of Warren, thinks that the event will be filled with the same grandeur seen in past years, regardless of the modifications.

"No matter how many people we have competing, no matter how many come to show up, it's the fact we're all working together as a team," said Johnson, who's studying social work at Columbus State Community College. "Yes, we know we're competing against each other but we're one big family at the end of the day."

First-time pageant contestant Mykal Jones, 27, said she's teetered between feelings of excitement and nervousness, especially with the learning process largely virtual. But as Page and the other contestants have guided her, the Cleveland-native said her confidence has grown steadily over time. 

"I'm most excited for the opportunity," the Lorain County Community College student said. "It's going to be so nice to say I went there and I did it."

Beyond the chants and roaring applause, Dayton-native Bre Matthews, 26, said she's looking to connect with the other contestants for the first time outside their daily FaceTime calls and Zoom meetings.

"I feel like I've known them forever," the incoming Central State University student said. "Getting through this pageant journey, we've made sure we had what we needed and made sure we were comfortable and lifted each other up during this time. It's a competition, but we also grew a friendship in the middle of this." 

At a glance

The Miss Black Ohio pageant will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday in the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St. Prepaid tickets cost $35 and are available at ticketmaster.com.

– The Columbus Dispatch