Maid of Cotton

The Maid of Cotton pageant, involving cotton-producing USA states, began in 1939.  It was sponsored by the National Cotton Council, Memphis Cotton Carnival and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York & New Orleans.  Until the mid-1980s the pageant was held in Memphis TN, in conjunction with the Carnival. 

In mid-December every year the National Cotton Council released a list of the contestants.  Sometimes the newspapers published the complete lists, while others listed only those from their areas.  There were usually 20 contestants each year, with a Top 10 being called and then a Top 5, from which the 2nd- and 1st-runners up would be named and then a winner from among the other three finalists still standing on the stage.    

The contestants were checked for personality, poise, good manners, intelligence, modeling ability and - high on the list - family background, as well as beauty.  They must have been born in one of the cotton-producing states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North or South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas or Virginia.  She may have been born in the cotton-producing counties of Alexander, Jefferson, Massac, Pulaski, Williamson or Madison in Illinois, or Clark or Nye counties, Nevada.