In the eyes of Miss Black OU

Carlisha Williams is the new Miss Black OU after winning the crown Saturday night at Meacham Auditorium.

Williams, an entrepreneurship and venture management and African and African-American studies junior, received a $1,600 scholarship for winning.

"It was a really, really good group of girls who were competing," Williams said. "It could have been anyone's crown. I was shocked. It didn't even seem real."

Williams, who also won the title of Miss Scholarship, beat out eight other contestants for the crown. The contest was judged based on performance in four categories: swimsuit, talent, evening gown and projection.

All contestants wore a one-piece black swimsuit. For her talent, Williams performed a monologue titled "Voices of the Storm" about the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Miss Black OU

o Carlisha Williams, entrepreneurship and venture management and African and African-American studies junior, is the new Miss Black OU.

o The pageant awarded $3,350 in scholarships.

o Williams' platform concerns political and cultural awareness in urban communities.

Source: Staff reports

The projection portion of the contest asked the contestants to respond to the question, "With the passing of many of our great African-American leaders, who do you feel currently in our community will be able to fulfill their legacy and why?"

Williams responded that she believed Tavis Smiley is in position to carry that torch and mentioned that he will give the State of the Black Union address in Houston on Feb. 28.

According to his Web site, Smiley is the only American to have signature national talk shows on both public television and radio.

Other winners of the night's contest included Alexis Caldwell, psychology senior, as Crowd Favorite, Dietria Roshell Armour, finance junior, as Miss Picture Perfect, and Trinity Ann Price as Miss Congeniality and Miss Industrial.

Second runner-up Rachel Joy Green, elementary education junior, won a $750 scholarship and first runner-up Armour won a $1,000 scholarship.

The event's chairwoman, Crystal Sowah, said she was happy to have been a part of the event.

"It was just a blessing to work with these girls," she said.

Marissa Moseley, a member of the pageant committee, said it takes a lot of hard work and talent to win.

"You've got to have confidence, a good scholastic career and be a crowd-pleaser," she said.

The pageant was themed In the Eyes of a Nubian Queen and was dedicated to the memory of Rosa Parks.

It also featured a performance by the outgoing Miss Black OU, letters junior Ashley Harris.

Williams will represent OU in the Miss Black Oklahoma USA pageant this summer. Her platform is political and cultural awareness in urban communities.

For more pictures of the pageant, click here.
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