Miss America 1977

Miss America 1977,  Minnesota - Dorothy Benham
1st runner-up, South Carolina - Lavinia Cox
2nd runner-up, Texas - Carmen McCollum
3rd runner-up, California - Linda Michelle Mouron
4th runner-up,  New York - Sonja Anderson

50th Miss America Pageant, Held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11th, 1976. Aired on NBC.

All Preliminary winners made the Top 10.

There were two double Preliminary Award Winners. Miss Minnesota, Dorothy Benham, who won the Miss America crown. Miss Texas, Carmen McCollum, was second runner-up.

There was a tie for a Preliminary Talent Award between Miss New York, Sonja Anderson and Miss Texas, Carmen McCollum.

Miss North Dakota, Donna Grotberg, was the first Miss North Dakota to make the semi-finals.

Miss Florida, Nancy Stafford, would co-star with Andy Griffith 11 years later in the NBC TV series Matlock.

Miss Connecticut, Karen Kopins, would later go on to be an actress.

Miss West Virginia, Patsy Paugh, was the mother of JonBenet Ramsey.