Pearl Jansen

Pearl Gladys Jansen (born 1950 in Bonteheuwel) is a South African beauty queen and singer who ends up first runner-up in the Miss World beauty contest in the UK in 1970. She became the first black woman to represent her country at this level even if she competed as "Miss Africa South" due to apartheid.[1]

Pearl Jansen
Born1950
Bonteheuwel
TitleFirst runner-up of Miss World 1970

Biography

Jansen was 20 when she entered the 1970 beauty contest, and she is one of the main character in the Misbehaviour film movie.[2] She has stated that after the contest nothing changed for her because of the apartheid.[3] She waited until she was 58 years old to fulfill her dream of becoming a singer.[4]

1970 Miss World contest

The 1970 contest was held in London, United Kingdom. It began with a row because the organisers had allowed two entries from South Africa, one black, Pearl Jansen, and one white.[5] Then during the evening there were protests by women's liberation activists and flour was thrown.[6] The comedian, Bob Hope, was also heckled. Jennifer Hosten, Miss Granada, won, becoming the first black woman to win Miss World, and Pearl Jansen was placed second.

See also

Bibliography
  • Jennifer Hosten, Miss World 1970: The Craziest Pageant in History and the Rest of My Life, Sutherland House Incorporated, 2020

References
  1. The Times, The story of Misbehaviour: feminists, flour bombs and the first black Miss South Africa
  2. Sunday Times, Pearl is a queen again
  3. Isaacs, Lisa (16 March 2020). "Apartheid buried my achievement, says Bonteheuwel's Miss World runner-up at film premiere". IOL. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  4. Cape Town Today, District Six Legends at His People Centre
  5. BBC2, Miss World 1970: Beauty Queens and Bedlam, BBC2, review: the real stars were Pearl Jansen and Jennifer Hosten
  6. Pape, Gordon (Nov 21, 1970). "Cattle show: Miss Grenada wins, Bob Hope loses". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
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