{{Short description|American model}} {{Infobox pageant titleholder | name = Kalyn Chapman | photo = | title = Miss University of South Alabama 1991<br>Miss Mobile Area 1992<br>Miss Leeds Area 1993<br>Miss Alabama 1993<ref name="msalhist"/> | nationalcompetition = Miss America 1994 | birth_name = Kalyn Evel Chapman | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|1971}} --> {{Birth based on age as of date|22|1993|9|19}} | birth_place = Mobile, Alabama, U.S. | eye_color = | hair_color = | height = <!-- {{convert|0|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} --> | education = Loyola University New Orleans<br>University of South Alabama<br>University of Alabama at Birmingham | homepage = }}
'''Kalyn Chapman James''' is an American model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder from Mobile, Alabama, who was crowned Miss Alabama in 1993, the first African American to win the pageant. She competed for the Miss America 1994 title and placed as a top-ten semi-finalist.
==Pageant career== Chapman was the first African-American to win the Miss University of South Alabama title then competed in the 1991 Miss Alabama pageant. She was named was first runner-up to winner Wendy Neuendorf.<ref name="gads910630"/> The next year she was the first African-American named Miss Mobile Area and two weeks before competing she injured her right knee in an accident on the beach. She placed second runner-up for the Miss Alabama 1992 crown behind winner Kim Wimmer and first runner-up Heather Whitestone.<ref name="tusca920621"/><ref name="gads920623"/>
Chapman was crowned Miss Leeds Area 1993 which made her eligible to compete at the 1993 Miss Alabama pageant, her third attempt at the state title.<ref name="gads930706"/><ref name="tusca930620"/> Entering the state pageant in June 1993 as one of 45 finalists, Chapman's preliminary competition talent for Miss Alabama was performing a modern dance routine to "The River" by Duke Ellington.<ref name="tusca930620"/> Her platform was improving education for Alabama's children.<ref name="gads950309"/>
Chapman won the competition on Saturday, June 19, 1993, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Alabama titleholder Kim Wimmer.<ref name="tusca930620"/><ref name="tidal930620"/> Chapman became the first African American to be named Miss Alabama.<ref name="gasun030706"/><ref name="gads930621"/> As Miss Alabama, her activities included public appearances across the state of Alabama, including hosting regional beauty pageants and speaking to student and civic groups.<ref name="gads950309"/><ref name="gads930713"/><ref name="tidal931119"/><ref name="tusca940210"/>
Chapman was Alabama's representative at the Miss America 1994 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 1993.<ref name="thnws930916"/><ref name="balaa931002"/> Her competition talent was modern dance.<ref name="thnws930916"/> She was Top 10 semi-finalist for the national title.<ref name="msalhist"/><ref name="tidal930919"/><ref name="gads930919"/>
Her reign as Miss Alabama continued until Heather Whitestone was crowned on June 18, 1994. Chapman now awards an annual scholarship called the Kalyn Chapman James Scholarship for $1,000 that is awarded to the highest scoring African-American contestant to encourage excellence in African-American participation in the Miss Alabama Pageant.
==Personal life and education== Chapman is a native of Mobile, Alabama, and graduated from Murphy High School in 1988. After graduation, she traveled the country to teach dance camps at colleges throughout the country for Memphis-based Universal Dance Association. In the fall, she attended Loyola University New Orleans. She attended an audition for a Walt Disney show while in New Orleans and was the only candidate selected to perform in ''The Dick Tracy Show'' at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida, where she stayed for one year. She suffered a knee injury and returned to Mobile to complete her degree. She never returned to Loyola University.<ref name="gads950309"/> After regrouping, she attended the University of South Alabama from 1990 until her reign as Miss Alabama interrupted her studies in 1993.<ref name="tusca930620"/> She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 1997.<ref name="ftwks140219"/>
Shortly after her reign as Miss Alabama, Chapman married Terry Roller in 1994 and was known professionally as Kalyn Chapman-Roller.<ref name="gads950309"/><ref name="lat980517"/><ref name="bhamag9902"/> That marriage officially ended in 1998. In February 1999, ''Birmingham Magazine'' named her one of Birmingham, Alabama's "most beautiful people".<ref name="bhamag9902"/> She married Rico James in 2003 and is now known professionally as Kalyn Chapman James. They have two daughters, Phoenix and Zen.<ref name="ftwks140219"/> Chapman has lived in Miami, Florida, since 2003.<ref name="artloft1"/>
Since passing on the Miss Alabama crown, Chapman has worked as a model, dancer, choreographer, voiceover talent, television host,<ref name="artloft1"/> event emcee, fitness instructor,<ref name="bhamag9902"/> actor, a Fox Sports Network reporter, spokeswoman for VisionLand,<ref name="lat980517"/> teaching artist for the non-profit Arts for Learning, and is currently the Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.<ref name="ftwks140219"/><ref name="hsvt110613"/> She was the featured actor in national and international television commercials for Tia Lusso liqueur and Old Navy Bermuda Shorts, and her family has appeared in television commercials for Sanibel Island Tourism, Hershey's Air Delights, Zurich Insurance, Disney Parks, Crocs, and other clients.<ref name="hsvt110613"/> Kalyn has danced professionally in Miami for Univision on Sabado Gigante and Despirita America and has also performed in awards shows with artists including the rock group Jet, Wisin y Yandel, Alejandro Sans, And Don Omar for The MTV Video Music Awards, the Latin MTV Video Music Awards and the Premios Juventud awards show. Since February 2013, she has been the host of the television series ''Art Loft'' for WPBT.<ref name="ftwks140219"/><ref name="sunse130201"/>
Of the Dallas police officers killed in 2016, in a video entitled "I don't want to feel this way...", she said, "I'm dealing with a bit of guilt because I don't feel sad for the officers that lost their lives, and I know that that's not really my heart. I value human life. And I want to feel sad for them but I can't help but feeling like the shooter was a martyr. And I know it's not the right way to feel because nobody deserves to lose their lives."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Chasmar|first1=Chasmar|title=First black Miss Alabama calls Dallas cop killer a 'martyr'|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/11/kalyn-chapman-james-first-black-miss-alabama-calls/|work=The Washington Times|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=July 13, 2016|archive-date=July 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712185948/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/11/kalyn-chapman-james-first-black-miss-alabama-calls/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her employer, WPBT, said they "[do] not condone" her comments and she was placed on administrative leave.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Faulk|first1=Kent|title=Former Miss Alabama who called Dallas cop-killer a martyr suspended by Miami TV station|url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/07/miami_public_tv_station_suspen.html|work=Alabama Live|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=July 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Golgowski|first1=Nina|title=First Black Miss Alabama Apologizes After Calling Dallas Cop Killer A 'Martyr'|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/miss-alabama-dallas-martyr_us_5784e260e4b0e05f05235047|work=The Huffington Post|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=July 13, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="msalhist">{{cite web |publisher=Miss Alabama |title=Miss Alabama History |url=http://www.missalabama.com/miss-alabama-history |access-date=June 11, 2015}}</ref> <ref name="gads910630">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Miss Bessemer new Miss Alabama |page=B2 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19910629&id=GWQfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1123,3175124 |date=June 30, 1991 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="tusca920621">{{cite news |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |location=Tuscaloosa, AL |title=Miss Point Mallard wins pageant |page=1A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19920621&id=HjkdAAAAIBAJ&pg=5785,5138611 |date=June 21, 1992 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads920623">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=New Miss Alabama hoping to work with homeless youths in inner cities |page=B4 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19920621&id=BMMfAAAAIBAJ&pg=2944,2429480 |date=June 23, 1992 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="tidal930620">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=TimesDaily |location=Florence, AL |title=Miss Leeds wins crown |page=1A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19930620&id=FtUdAAAAIBAJ&pg=4130,2606188 |date=June 10, 1993 |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="tusca930620">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |location=Tuscaloosa, AL |title=Third time works for Miss Alabama |page=5A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kjcdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6344%2C5556844 |date=June 20, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads930621">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Miss Alabama realizes dream of changing pageant history |page=A1 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19930621&id=VsIfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5795,2631049 |date=June 21, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads930706">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Miss Alabama's feelings mixed about crown |page=B3 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19930705&id=N78fAAAAIBAJ&pg=4247,840660 |date=July 6, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gasun030706">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Gainesville Sun |location=Gainesville, FL |title=First black wins Miss Alabama title |page=4A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19930706&id=dRdZAAAAIBAJ&pg=3074,1843752 |date=July 6, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads930713">{{cite news |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Beth Phillips captures Miss Etowah title |page=A7 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19930713&id=Pb8fAAAAIBAJ&pg=4386,1756192 |date=July 13, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="thnws930916">{{cite news |first=Tanya |last=Barrentos |agency=Knight Ridder |newspaper=The News |location=Boca Raton, FL |title=Pageant is a 'hairy' matter for Miss America contestants |page=8C |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3-4PAAAAIBAJ&pg=3611%2C117913 |date=September 16, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="tidal930919">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=TimesDaily |location=Florence, AL |title=South Carolina wins crown |page=1A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19930919&id=_E0eAAAAIBAJ&pg=3989,2612027 |date=September 19, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads930919">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Miss South Carolina new Miss America; Miss Alabama among top 10 finalists |page=A2 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tsIfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4953%2C2522172 |date=September 19, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="balaa931002">{{cite news |first=James E. |last=Alsbrook |newspaper=The Baltimore Afro-American |location=Baltimore, MD |title=On a Black woman winning 'Miss America' title |page=A5 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2205&dat=19931002&id=lZ8lAAAAIBAJ&pg=4492,2116431 |date=October 2, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="tidal931119">{{cite news |newspaper=TimesDaily |location=Florence, AL |title=Miss Shoals to be crowned at UNA Sunday |page=8C |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19931119&id=e08eAAAAIBAJ&pg=4125,2776377 |date=November 19, 1993 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="tusca940210">{{cite news |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |location=Tuscaloosa, AL |title=Miss Alabama Visits, Speaks at Stillman College |page=1B |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19940210&id=fzkdAAAAIBAJ&pg=4112,2929572 |date=February 10, 1994 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="gads950309">{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Thornton |newspaper=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, AL |title=Former Miss Alabama sats 'stay in school' |page=B1 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19950309&id=DMMfAAAAIBAJ&pg=2692,918422 |date=March 9, 1995 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="lat980517">{{cite news |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles, CA |title=Theme Park Opens in Alabama |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-17-tr-50555-story.html |date=May 17, 1998 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="bhamag9902">{{cite news |work=Birmingham Magazine |location=Birmingham, AL |title=The City's Most Beautiful People |page=78 |url=http://photos.al.com/alcom_photo_essay/2014/02/beautiful_people_hall_of_fame.html |date=February 1999 |access-date=August 21, 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> <ref name="hsvt110613">{{cite news |first=Chanda |last=Temple |newspaper=The Huntsville Times |location=Huntsville, AL |title=Miss Alabama 1993 Kalyn Chapman James is in a national Walt Disney World commercial |url=http://blog.al.com/living-news/2011/06/1993_miss_alabama_kalyn_chapma.html |date=June 13, 2011 |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="sunse130201">{{cite news |first=Johnny |last=Diaz |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, FL |title=WPBT launches new 'Art Loft' series |url=http://www.southflorida.com/movies/fl-art-loft-tv-show-20130201,0,4698829.story |date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=August 22, 2014}}</ref> <ref name="artloft1">{{cite web |publisher=WPBT |location=Miami, FL |work=Art Loft |title=Meet the Host |url=http://artloft.cloudaccess.net/about/host.html |access-date=August 21, 2014 |archive-date=August 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115630/http://artloft.cloudaccess.net/about/host.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name="ftwks140219">{{cite web |publisher=53 Weeks |title=Haute Mom: Kalyn James |url=http://www.53-weeks.com/2014/02/19/haute-mom-kalyn-james.html |date=February 14, 2014 |access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> }}
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} *[http://artloft.cloudaccess.net/ ''Art Loft'' official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140918071917/http://artloft.cloudaccess.net/ |date=2014-09-18 }} *{{Facebook|kalynjames|Kalyn Chapman James}} *{{Twitter|name=Kalyn Chapman James}} *[http://www.missalabama.com/ Miss Alabama official website]
{{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box | before=Kim Wimmer | title=Miss Alabama | years=1993 | after=Heather Whitestone }} {{s-end}}
{{Miss America 1994 Delegates}} {{Alabama pageant winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Kalyn}} Category:1970s births Category:Living people Category:African-American female models Category:American beauty pageant winners Category:American television hosts Category:Female models from Florida Category:Loyola University New Orleans alumni Category:Miss Alabama winners Category:Miss America 1994 delegates Category:People from Miami Category:People from Mobile, Alabama Category:University of Alabama at Birmingham alumni Category:University of South Alabama alumni Category:American women television hosts Category:20th-century African-American women Category:20th-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American women Category:Year of birth missing (living people)