| FAMOUS WOMEN: MISS UNIVERSE 1977 | | | | woman to win the award in the Miss Universe |
| | | | History. On July 16th, in the National Theater of |
| 1977 was the year of the Snake in the Chinese | | | | Santo Domingo, Janelle Commissiong was awesome |
| Horoscope. Certainly, was a good year for those | | | | in the semifinal and final. It was a very good day for |
| people who were born in the years 1929, 1941 and | | | | her. Miss Austria did not show the same talent |
| 1953.Trinidad Tobago has been known as one of the | | | | compared to Miss TT. Minutes later Janelle |
| most beautiful countries in the Third World, but the | | | | Commissiong was crowded Miss Universe. |
| Caribbean Island is also the birthplace of the first | | | | Miss Trinidad and Tobago attracted international |
| black Miss Universe Pageant in the History. Her name: | | | | attention in 1977 because she was crowded as the |
| Janelle Penny Commissiong. | | | | first black in the chronology of Miss Universe. At the |
| In 1953 Janelle "Penny" Commissiong, the daughter of | | | | end of the transmission, via satellite, the Trinidadian |
| Venezuelan mother and Trinidadian father, came into | | | | celebrated the triumph of Janelle Commissiong. Port |
| the world in Port of Spain, Trinidad Tobago, a | | | | of Spain was a carnival. Every newspaper had the |
| country very famous for its music and athletes as | | | | same story. The New York Times said that "Miss |
| Ato Bolton and Hasely Crawford. In the 1960s she | | | | Universe 1977 was a black bombshell". Certainly, the |
| moved with her family to the United States. | | | | world did not have a black Miss Universe until 1977. |
| In New York City, she studied fashion designer at | | | | There were 12 judges: Oscar de La Renta (Dominican |
| the Fashion Institute of Technology. But she returned | | | | designer), Dionne Warwick (American singer), Gordon |
| to Port of Spain in 1976, year where Miss Trinidad | | | | Parks (American photographer), Roberto Cavalli |
| and Tobago, Margaret Elizabeth McFarlane, won the | | | | (designer from Italy), Marisol Malaret (formerly Miss |
| Miss Congeniality Title. Next year, Janelle Commissiong | | | | Universe), Wihelmina (designer from the Netherlands) |
| had been selected to represent the Island at the | | | | and other personalities. When Janelle was crowded as |
| 1977 Miss Universe Competition in Santo Domingo, | | | | Miss Universe, Dionne Warwick said "I felt as If I had |
| Dominican Republic. | | | | won". |
| During the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant Miss TT | | | | After her reign, she had an interview with Joaquin |
| was very popular, but was not favorite for the title. | | | | Balaguer, President of the Dominican Republic (a fan |
| Miss Austria, Eva Maria Duringer, was a big favorite | | | | of Miss Universe Pageant) in the National Palace. Like |
| until last second.She looks like Farrah Fawcett, an | | | | Miss Universe, she visited many nations around the |
| actress best known for her role on Tv’s Charly | | | | world: from Iceland, Argentina, Hong Kong, Peru, |
| Angel’s in the 1970s.Other favorites were Miss | | | | Puerto Rico to the United States. |
| Colombia, Aura Maria Mojica, an exotic girl from Cali; | | | | In 1978 Janelle went to Chile, where she was a |
| and Miss Nicaragua, Beatriz Lacayo Obregon, a | | | | special judge at the "Miss Beaches of South |
| spectacular Latin Barbie from Managua. But none | | | | American". During her reign, she had been an |
| favorite did not speak English very well. | | | | advocate for black’s rights and the world peace. |
| Miss Trinidad-Tobago was elected Miss Photogenic 4 | | | | She wants to meet with Idi Amin Dada, one of the |
| days before the final. She was the second black | | | | worst dictators of the 20th Century. |