Vibrina Coronado Miss America Research Collection
Date: 1898-1994; Bulk Dates: 1992-1993
Collection Number: H065
Extent: 1.5 cu. ft.
Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.
Preferred Citation: Vibrina Coronado Miss America Collection, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.
Creator:
Vibrina Coronado's interest in Miss America began as she altered pageant dresses in Raleigh, North Carolina. While fitting pageant contestants, Ms. Coronado became intrigued with the reasons why young women compete in the Miss America Pageant. While completing a Master's degree at New York University, Ms Coronado attended the Miss America Pageant twice in the early 1990's where she interviewed contestants, attended the preliminary competitions and saw the televised show live. Her Master's thesis “The Miss America Beauty Contest: Performing a History of Legitimacy” explores how the Pageant adjusted, from its beginnings in the 1920's, to changes in the expected social roles of women, including the women's liberation movement, college educations for women, and religious and ethnic minority winners.
Ms. Coronado finished her Master's in Performance Studies in 1993. Ms Coronado earned a PhD from Union Institute and University in Performance Studies in 2002 with research emphasis in women and popular entertainments, Native American (Indian) Performance, Latina/o Performance with a multi and interdisciplinary approach. While she was in graduate school, Ms. Coronado worked in professional costume shops in New York City building costumes for Broadway, regional theatre, opera, feature films, ice shows and other performance. She has taught speech at City University of New York colleges, theatre at University of North Carolina Pembroke, and American Indian Studies at University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Presently, she does non-profit and arts and crafts consulting.
IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Scope and Content:
This collection contains published books, magazines and brochures, micro audio cassettes, video footage, research notes, and correspondence. The majority of correspondence and notes are from the 1992 and 1993 Pageant, which Ms. Coronado attended. The published books include books about the perception of femininity, which may not directly relate to the Miss America Pageant, but do relate to Ms. Coronado’s study.
System of Arrangement:
Materials in this collection are divided into three series by format:
Series 1: Published Books – books used in Ms. Coronado’s research relating to the pageant and contestants. These items are cataloged in the Library catalog and are housed within the Heston Collection and are listed below.
Series 2: Research Materials – correspondence, press information, magazine articles and clippings, maps, pageant programs, and scripts for the 1992 and 1993 Miss America Pageants.
Series 3: Audiovisual Materials – videocassettes of the Miss America Pageants (1992 and 1993) and documentaries made about the pageant. *NOTE: These materials require a week's notice to access, as special arrangements must be made for viewing/listening.
OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION
Subject Access Points:
Beauty contests – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Miss America Pageant
Coronado, Vibrina
Related Materials:
As Atlantic City is the birthplace of the Miss America Pageant, the Heston Collection has many related items. A subject search in the Library Catalog for “Miss America” lists the books in the collection. In addition, there are contestant photographs, video footage, and Miss America memorabilia in Heston Collection H029, the Miss America Collection. Other photographs of Miss America Pageants and parades are located in Heston Collection H009, the Atlantic City Free Public Library Collection of Atlantic City Photographs. The Samuel Formicola Miss America Collection (H047) contains photographs and work materials from Mr. Formicola, who was the photographer for the Miss America Pageant from 1957-1968.
Please see the Miss America Research Guide for more information about the Heston Collection’s holdings on this topic.
Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by Heather Halpin Pérez, archivist, March 2010.
Copyright Notice: The Atlantic City Free Public Library does not hold the copyright for the published works within this collection. The Library may hold the copyrights for some of the other items within the collection. Please consult with the archivist before duplicating materials from the collection.
ITEM LIST
Series 1: Published Books
| Title | Author | Year |
|
Queen Bess: An Unauthorized Biography of Bess Myerson |
Jennifer Preston |
1980 |
|
Beauty Pageants: Tiaras, Roses and Runways |
Judy Alter |
1997 |
|
From Mammy To Miss America and Beyond: Cultural Images & the Shaping of US Social Policy |
K. Sue Jewell |
1992 |
|
Beauty Queens: A Playful History |
Candace Savage |
1998 |
|
Tiara: An Insider's Guide to Choosing & Winning Pageants |
Barbara Thompson Howell |
1992 |
|
The Word of a Woman: Feminist Dispatches 1968-1992 |
Robin Morgan |
1992 |
|
Becoming A Beauty Queen: The Complete Guide |
Barbara Peterson Burwell and Polly Peterson Bowles |
1987 |
|
Miss America: Pen and Camera Sketches of the American Girl |
Alexander Black |
1898 |
Series 2: Research Materials
| Title | Author/Publisher | Date |
| Miss America Pageant (NBC television network information booklet) | John L. Koushouris | August 5, 1983 |
| Miss America Pageant (television script) | Joe Cool | September 17, 1983 |
| Atlantic City | AC Convention and Visitor's Bureau | [1990] |
| The 1992 Miss America Pageant (yearbook) | Miss America Organization | 1992 |
| AC Shorecast: Atlantic City Magazine’s Monthly Guide | Atlantic City Magazine | September 1992 |
| Trade Show Directory | National Association Miss America State Pageants | 1993 |
| Pageant Life: a Magazine for Pageantry, Talent and America’s Youth | L&L Productions, Inc. | Summer 1993 |
| The 1993 Miss America Pageant (yearbook) | Miss America Organization | 1993 |
| AC Shorecast: Atlantic City Magazine’s Monthly Guide | Atlantic City Magazine | September 1993 |
| The Pageant Consultant | P&V Publications | Fall 1993 |
| Pageantry: the Magazine for the Pageant and Talent Industry | Pageantry, Talent & Entertainment Services, Inc. | Fall 1993 |
| Miss America correspondence, brochures, etc. |
Series 3: Audiovisual Materials
| Title | Author/Publisher | Date |
|
MA 1992 Final Night Competition Tape 1 [microcassette] Side A: Intros to Swimsuit Side B: Interview, reception |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
MA 1992 Final Night Competition Tape 2 [microcassette] Side A: Talent Side B: Interview on stage |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: MA 1992 Final Night Competition Tape 3 Side B: 1st Press Conference Miss America 1993, 2nd Press Conference |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992-1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Tuesday Night Competition Side B: Tuesday Night Competition cont. |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 or 1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: MA Preliminary Tuesday night Side B: Tues. night cont. swimsuit, talent |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 or 1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Wed. Preliminary talent, swimsuit; Miss California interview; Thurs. press conference Side B: Thurs. preliminary; judge press conference; Miss Alaska interview |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 or 1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Wed. Preliminary evening gown, talent Side B: Wed. Preliminary talent |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 or 1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Miss Alaska, Miss Mississippi interviews Side B: Thurs. preliminary competition |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 or 1993 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Miss Illinois; Wed. morning press conference, MA 1992 Side B: Fruit of the Loom; Miss Nebraska |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Reunion of old contestants III; Parade; Miss Colorado interview (old contestant) Side B: Reunion 1, parade, reunion |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: 20 Year Reunion of Contestants II Side B: Writing Workshop |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
[microcassette] Side A: Leonard Horn Phone Interview (Side B: blank) |
Vibrina Coronado | 199? |
|
[VHS] “Miss America” (documentary) |
PBS Home Video | 2002 |
|
[VHS] “Miss America Pageant 1992” |
Vibrina Coronado | 1992 |
|
[VHS] “Miss America Pageant Telecast 1993” |
Vibrina Coronado | 1993 |
|
[VHS] Miss America Pageant (documentary) |
TV Asahi Network News Multichannel by Telecom Japan International | 1992 |
|
[VHS] “Miss America: Beyond the Crown” (documentary) |
WNBC | Aired September 10, 1994 |
Published 10 March 2010.