Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update =November 19, 2025: [Change in title to reflect the focus on some names of HBCU Queens]
This pancocojams post presents excerpts of two online articles that showcase examples of Historically Black Colleges And Universities (HBCUs) Queens from the 1960s to 2024.*
Although that wasn't the purpose of these articles, I'm highlighting the names of these HBCU Queens to suggests the changes that occurred between the types of first names that these women had in those decades.
Although these articles include some photographs, no photographs are included in this pancocojams post.
The content of this post is presented for onomastic, historical, and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all HBCU Queens, past and present and thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to all those who archived this content. Thanks also to Getty Images for supporting Jackson State University's project of archiving photographs of HBCU Queens.
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The first article that is featured in this pancocojams post includes the name of one HBCU Queen from 1951. The other HBCU Queens who are featured in this post are from 1960s to 2024.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The names of the HBCU Queens who are featured in both articles of this pancocojams post are given in italics for highlighting purposes only.
ARTICLE #1-HBCU CAMPUS QUEENS PROJECTS
Pancocojams Editor's Note: Most of the HBCU Queens who are featured in that article are from Jackson State University, Mississippi. (JSU). One HBCU Queen who is named in that article is from North Carolina A&T State University.
A 1951 photograph in that article has the name of a Queen. All of the other names of Queens in that article are from the 1960s - 2024.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/piapeterson/campus-queens-hbcus-photos-getty
These Newly Digitized Photos Show Almost A Century Of Campus
Queens And HBCU Life
The tradition of Campus Queens at HBCUs goes back many
decades. Now, more of their photos are coming to light.
Pia Peterson, BuzzFeed News Photo Editor, Posted on March 6, 2022
"The tradition of college and university queens spans decades
and originates from May Queens, who walk or ride at the front of May Day
parades, which itself comes from pagan May Day rituals. Over time, students on
historically Black colleges and universities have taken on the role of Campus
Queen at their colleges and appeared at many events; the first Campus Queen was
named in 1927. “It’s a beautiful and symbolic gesture of love of leadership and
beauty, epitomized in womanhood,” Jackson State University archivist Darlita
Ballard said.
While many colleges maintain the Campus Queen tradition, JSU
has recently been sharing its images through a partnership with Getty. At JSU,
the queens are elected by popular vote; traditionally, the queen was crowned
ahead of the May Day ceremony. Later, the queen was also elected homecoming
queen, football queen, and Miss Jackson State University. “It's an expression
of love for our heritage, our values, and our goals,” Ballard said.
Dr. Locord Wilson, the interim dean of libraries at JSU,
noted that the women’s style changes in the photos over time. “When they were
first crowned, in the early images, some were very casual and some were
formal,” Wilson said. “Some of them just wanted to be photographed on a bench
or sitting on the ground. The last few
years, everyone has wanted it to be formal.” The Campus Queens served their
roles during COVID, though with much less fanfare as the college and student
body navigated the coronavirus.
[Pancocojams Editor- In this post the caption under each photograph is given without the photograph.]
Left, Norma Jean Pryor, Miss Tennessee State University, riding on a convertible with Mary Culver, Miss Senior, and Barbara Greer, Miss Sophomore, during halftime on Thanksgiving Day, Nashville, Tennessee, circa 1965. Right, honor student Juanita Tatum gives greetings of welcome during the homecoming celebration held at North Carolina A&T State University, with Walter T Johnson Jr, president of the A&T Student Government, standing by her side, Greensboro, North Carolina, circa 1960.
For JSU, the goal is to share not only the images of the queens but the history of the university and the students through its vast archive. The university’s official photographer, Charles Smith, alone has about 12,000 photos that have been digitized; the school hopes to digitize 50,000 photos overall.
Four HBCUs received grants from Getty Images in 2022 to help digitize their archives, bringing thousands of photos spanning over a hundred years to a new audience. With the archivists’ help, Smith assembled a selection of donated images and photos from the JSU archives, called the Campus Queens Collection.
“We’re reaching people that we wouldn't normally hear from,” Dr. Wilson said. “Someone called me yesterday to tell me that she served as first alternate to Campus Queen and actress Tommy Steward in 1968, and she had a lot of photographs she wanted to donate to the archival collection from when she was a student. “We wanted to bring this to life, not just to Jackson and not just to Mississippi, but to the world.”
Left, Miss JSU Emma Jean Brown 1972-73. Right, Miss JSU Beverly Bowser, 1964.
Miss JSU Vernecia L. Gee, circa 1990.
Jackson State University Campus Queen Miss Alandrea Wallace, 2002-2003.
Left, Miss JSU Jackie Bacchus, 1973-74, and right, Miss JSU Martha Anderson, 1971-72.
Left, Mrs. Brenda Lang Thomas reigned as Miss Jackson State University from 1964-1965. Right, Miss JSU Lynetta Kaye Gaines circa 1985.
Miss JSU Joyce Williams in 1951.
Left, Miss JSU Vivian Hilly circa 1970s
ARTICLE #2 -
From
"The focus of the Competition of Black College Queens is to
provide great opportunities for young women attending our nation’s Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and help them better prepare for the
future, as well as gain self-awareness, self-confidence, individual pride,
pride for their institution and a greater social awareness overall. Each of the
college queens in the competition represents the leadership and reigning queen
of the HBCU they represent. In this series of competitions, our queens
demonstrates their unique talents and skill sets, to the point of one finalist
and ultimate college queen of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.
Below is a look at our past & present queens through the
years:
1986-1987
Melanie Rainey (deceased)
Chicago State University
1987-1988
Shari Love
Prairie View A & M University
1988-1989
Guy Spears
Alcorn State University
1989-1990
Semora T. Johns
Albany State University
1990-1991
Sharron Jenkins
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
1991-1992
Faedra Chatard
Spelman College
1992-1993
Jujuan Williams
Philander Smith College
1993-1994
Chelle Luper Wilson
Langston University
1994-1995
Christie Bradford
Fayetteville University
1995-1996
Trenace Fayton
Elizabeth City State University
1996-1997
Robbyn Manning
Tennessee State University
1997-1998
Navasha Boxley Collins
Morgan State University
1998-1999
Juanica Robinson Reynolds
Talladega College
1999-2000
Michelle Robinson Wilkins
Tennessee State University
2000-2001
Megan Richmond
Jackson State University
2001-2002
Chinai J. Hardy
Stillman College
2002-2003
Darcie Chism Finch
Fisk University
2003-2004
Samantha Thomas
Lincoln University of Missouri
2004-2005
Tameka J. Wilson
Bowie State University
2005-2006
Kendria Biley
Albany State University
2006-2007
Erica-Christina Little
Savannah State University
2007-2008
Orna-Charece Jones
Tennessee State University
2008-2009
TaNisha Fordham
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
2009-2010
Kendall Nicole Isadore
Howard University
2010-2011
Adrian Love Pruett
Howard University
2011-2012
Ashleigh Taylor
Tennessee State University
2012-2013
Jasmine Mathews
Spelman College
2013-2014
Cayla Cowherd
Virginia Union University
2014-2015
Elisa Thomas
University of the Virgin Islands
2015-2016
Dontia Y. Barrett
Winston-Salem State University
2016-2017
Che-Raina Warner
University of the Virgin Islands
2017-2018
Crystal Autumn Brooks
Fisk University
2018-2019
Anta Sallah Njie
Spelman College
2019-2020
Tangela Mitchell
Spelman College
2022-2023
Joy Watson
Virginia State University
2020-2021
Patria Gatson
Talladega College
2021-2022
Jackeima Flemming
University of the Virgin Islands
2023-2024
Armani Washington
Howard University
2024-2025
Nya Floyd
Fort Valley State University
2024 Hall of Fame Queens Participants
Dailona Dallas
Miss Jarvis Christian University
Damaris Moore
Miss Howard University
Jayla Smalls
Miss Clark Atlanta University
Lamonee Morris
Miss University of the Virgin Islands
Mya Banks
Miss Fisk University
Oluwanifemi Mercy Faniyi
Miss University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Sian Lee
Miss Morehouse College
Thomyka Valcent
Miss Livingstone College
Tori Paige
Miss Norfolk State University
Yasmine Bryant
Miss Morgan State University
Nya Floyd
Miss Fort Valley State University
Patria Gatson
MISS NBCA HALL OF FAME 2020-2021
Armani Washington
MISS NBCA HALL OF FAME 2021-2022
Jackeima Flemming
MISS NBCA HALL OF FAME 2021-2022
Joy Watson
MISS NBCA HALL OF FAME 2022-2023
Nya Floyd
MISS NBCA HALL OF FAME 2024-2025
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