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From 1941 until the late 1970s, more than 200 women wore the crown of Miss Subways.
“It was the first integrated beauty pageant in the country,” said Sarah Celentano, assistant director of the City Reliquary. “The first black Miss Subways was elected in 1947.”
The contests were sponsored by the New York Subway Advertising agency and meant to get people to look up at ads while they rode the trains.
