College Heights Herald article about the Miss Black Western pageant:
The curtains were closed and an anticipating audience passed whispers from ear to ear. Suddenly there was a burst of spiritual a cappella music and the curtain rose.
On the Garrett Ballroom stage last night stood seven figures hidden in darkness. As the music changed, the lights came on and the figures began to move across the stage with expressions of confidence on their faces. These were the 1992 Miss Black Western Gala contestants.
The Miss Black Western Gala is an annual pageant sponsored and coordinated by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. The pageant was held last night before a full house.
The pageant exemplified the black female through four scenes. In the first scene, each contestant showed off her pride and heritage in the African garment category. The second scene was the talent competition, the third was formal wear and lastly, in a personal narrative scene, each contestant told a short summary about herself in a creative format.
The program's finale came with the announcement of winners in each of the four categories, and the winner of the pageant was named. Louisville junior Deondra Wardelle was crowned the 1992 Miss Black Western.
"I fell great," she said. "I feel this is a new beginning for full-figured African-American women. I feel blessed because for years, stereotypes have kept women like myself from competing in these pageants. It's good to know that people now look at the beauty on the inside and not on the outside."