Former Miss Mississippi becomes first African American to be named Miss Mississippi USA
Published 9:35 am Monday, October 28, 2019
- Miss Mississippi Asya Branch holds one of her high-flying hot-air balloon shoes that she wore in the Show Us Your Shoes Parade for the Miss America Pageant. The shoe was inspired by the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race. (The Natchez Democrat)
Former Miss Mississippi Asya Branch won the Miss Mississippi USA 2020 competition in Tunica on Saturday night becoming the first African American to be named Miss Mississippi USA.
Branch is the first African American winner in the organization’s 67-year history.
The former Miss Mississippi in 2018, Branch is a Booneville native and a graduate of the University of Mississippi.
The Miss Mississippi USA 2020 pageant was held at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica Saturday night.
Branch will represent Mississippi in the Miss USA pageant this spring. The winner of Miss USA goes on to represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant.
