100 yrs ago, Miss America made heads turn

Uncasville (Conn.): As Miss America turns 100, a major question remains unanswered: Is she still relevant? The glitzy competition was born from a 1921 Atlantic City beauty contest, just a year after women were given the right to vote, and maintains a complicated presence in an American culture that has since undergone multiple waves of feminism. Participation and viewership has dropped since its 1960s heyday — when the next Miss America is crowned Thursday, her coronation will only be available to stream via NBC’s Peacock service, shunted from her primetime broadcast throne. Faithful Miss America organizers and enthusiasts contend the annual ritual is here to stay and will keep changing with the times. —(AP)