{{Short description|Beauty pageant}} '''Miss Rhodesia''' was the national beauty pageant of [[Rhodesia]] and its antecedents. It debuted in [[Miss World]] in 1959, but was not allowed to participate after [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence]] in 1965. When Rhodesia transitioned to a majority democracy and became [[Zimbabwe]] in 1980, Miss Rhodesia became [[Miss Zimbabwe]].
== History == Miss Rhodesia was established as Miss [[Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland|Rhodesia and Nyasaland]] in 1959. The winner debuted at [[Miss World 1959]], with Vivien Lentin placing as a semifinalist. In 1960, [[Jenny Lee Scott]] appeared at [[Miss World 1960|Miss World]]. In 1961, there were two "Miss Rhodesias," when [[Angela Moorcroft]] competed at [[Miss World 1961|Miss World]] representing Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and [[Jonee Sierra]] representing [[Southern Rhodesia]] at [[Miss Universe 1961|Miss Universe]]. In 1965, [[Lesley Bunting]] represented [[Rhodesia]] at [[Miss World 1965]], just days after the country [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|declared independence]] from the United Kingdom. Despite this, Bunting was still able to participate, and she was a Top 7 Finalist that year.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19651120&id=QbgyAAAAIBAJ&pg=4809,1678818&hl=en|title=U.K. wins Miss World again, sparks new row|date=1965-11-20|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/12013563/|title=Politics is causing contest stir|date=1965-11-13}}</ref>
After 1965, Miss Rhodesia was no longer allowed to participate in Miss World, due to Rhodesia's political situation. Despite this, in 1972 the English-born Miss Rhodesia attempted to travel to Britain to compete in [[Miss World 1972|Miss World]], but was barred entry, despite her British citizenship.<ref name=":1972">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVt0AAAAMAAJ&q=Miss+Rhodesia|title=Sanctions: The Case of Rhodesia|last=Strack|first=Harry R.|date=1978|publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]|isbn=9780815621614|pages=233|language=en}}</ref> Four years later, when Miss Rhodesia [[Jane Bird]] flew to London and attempted to participate in [[Miss World 1976]], she was prevented by the organization.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/what-the-world-needs-now-is-love-sweet-love-especially-the-beauty-contest-of-the-same-name-vol-6-no-23/|title=What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love—Especially the Beauty Contest of the Same Name|date=1976-12-06|work=People|access-date=2017-09-14|issue=23|volume=6|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=http://www.gettyimages.de/detail/nachrichtenfoto/miss-rhodesia-22-year-old-jane-bird-reveals-her-nachrichtenfoto/830655852#miss-rhodesia-22-year-old-jane-bird-reveals-her-shapely-figure-at-her-picture-id830655852|title=Miss Rhodesia, 22 year old Jane Bird, reveals her shapely figure at her London hotel|work=Getty Images|access-date=2017-09-14|language=de}}</ref> In 1980, when Rhodesia reverted to a British colony and was renamed [[Zimbabwe]], Miss Rhodesia ended and was succeeded by [[Miss Zimbabwe]]
== List of titleholders == Helen Elliott<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wP4Vm299DvcC&q=Miss+Rhodesia&pg=PT62|title=Shadowland: How the Mafia Bet Britain in a Global Gamble|last=Thompson|first=Douglas|date=2011-10-14|publisher=[[Random House]]|isbn=9781780571546|language=en}}</ref> and Myra Fowler<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LpPGAAAAIAAJ&q=Miss+Rhodesia|title=More Rhodesian senior schools: part two, 1950-1982 : contributed editorial|last=MacLaren|first=I. P.|date=1982|publisher=Books of Zimbabwe|isbn=9780869202609|language=en}}</ref> held the Miss Rhodesia title, but the sources do not include the year.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center" ! width="30" |Year ! width="200" |Miss Rhodesia ! width="80" |Hometown ! width="400" |Notes and references |- | style="background:#FFFACD;" |1959 | style="background:#FFFACD;" |[[Vivien Lentin]] | style="background:#FFFACD;" | - | style="background:#FFFACD;" |Semifinalist at [[Miss World 1959]] {{Small|(Miss Rhodesia and Nyasaland)}} |- |1960 |[[Jenny Lee Scott]] | - |Competed at [[Miss World 1960]] {{Small|(Miss Southern Rhodesia)}}<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=1121950|title=ORAFs - Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods Newsletter|website=www.ourstory.com|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |1961 |[[Angela Moorcroft]] | - |Competed at [[Miss World 1961]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://flashbak.com/on-this-day-in-photos-rhodesia-in-crisis-ian-smith-issues-a-unilateral-declaration-of-independence-9557/|title=On This Day In Photos – Rhodesia In Crisis: Ian Smith Issues A Unilateral Declaration of Independence {{!}}|work=Flashbak|access-date=2017-09-14|language=en}}</ref> {{Small|(Miss Rhodesia and Nyasaland)}} |- |[[Jonee Sierra]] | - |Competed at [[Miss Universe 1961]]{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} {{Small|(Miss Southern Rhodesia)}} |- |1962 | - | - | |- |1963 | - | - | |- |1964 | - | - | |- | style="background:#FFFF66;" |1965 | style="background:#FFFF66;" |[[Lesley Bunting]] | style="background:#FFFF66;" |[[Salisbury, Rhodesia|Salisbury]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.topfoto.co.uk/imageflows/preview/t=topfoto&f=1116252|title=Topfoto - Preview 1116252 - London: Miss Rhodesia - Miss Lesley Bunting|website=www.topfoto.co.uk|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref> | style="background:#FFFF66;" |Top 7 Finalist at [[Miss World 1965]]<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> |- |1966 | - | - | |- |1967 | - | - | |- |1968 | - | - | |- |1969 | - | - | |- |1970 | - | - | |- |1971 |[[Corinne Prinsloo]] | - |<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwenewslive.com/uncategorized-14377-roll-back-ex-miss-rhodesia-corrine-prinsloo-adds-glamour-to-cargo.html|title=Roll back :Ex-Miss Rhodesia, Corrine Prinsloo Adds Glamour to Cargo {{!}} Zimbabwe News {{!}} Zimbabwe News|website=www.thezimbabwenewslive.com|language=en|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref> |- |1972 |[[Helga Vera Johns]] | - | Was not allowed to compete in [[Miss World 1972]] despite having dual citizenship with the UK. Johns later moved to South Africa and won the 1975 [[Miss South Africa]] contest and tried to compete again at [[Miss World 1975]], but was barred entry due to not living in South Africa for 5 years as per the requirements of the Miss World Organization. Johns, to this day, remains the only person barred from entering the contest at least twice.<ref name=":1972"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cCCiE0_RDSMC&q=miss+rhodesia&pg=PA149|title=Delta Scout: Ground Coverage Operator|last=Trethowan|first=Anthony|date=2008|publisher=30° South Publishers|isbn=9781920143213|pages=149|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title = More Misdemeanours - And Other Beauty Queen Stories|publication-date = Apr 20, 2016|ol = 35077796M|isbn = 9781326634148|publisher = Lulu Enterprises|author = Sally-Ann Fawcett| date=19 April 2012 }}</ref> |- |1973 |[[Beverley Donald]] | - |Mother of [[Chelsy Davy]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/04/26/chelsy-davy-prince-harrys-hard-partying-royal-wedding-date|title=Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry's Hard-Partying Royal Wedding Date|last=Sykes|first=Tom|date=2011-04-26|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/1491836/Zimbabwes-great-white-survivor.html|title=Zimbabwe's great white survivor|last=Blair|first=David|work=Telegraph|access-date=2017-09-14|language=en}}</ref> |- |1974 | - | - | - |- |1975 |[[Trudy Cliffe]] | - | <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgAMVbWYTssC&q=miss+rhodesia&pg=PA145|title=The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry|last=Binda|first=Alexandre|date=2007|publisher=30° South Publishers|isbn=9781920143077|pages=145|language=en}}</ref> |- |1976 |[[Jane Bird]] | - | Bird attempted to participate in [[Miss World 1976]], but was barred because of Rhodesia's political and diplomatic situation<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> |- |1977 | [[Connie Makaya]] | - | First black Miss Rhodesia<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kells|date=2020-02-05|title=Meet the first Black Miss Rhodesia who is also aunt to Robert Mugabe Jnr's bae|url=https://www.zimetro.co.zw/meet-the-first-black-miss-rhodesia-who-is-also-aunt-to-robert-mugabe-jnrs-bae/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=ZiMetro News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mabhiza|first=Lucky|date=2020-02-05|title=Meet the first Black Miss Rhodesia who is also aunt to Robert Mugabe Jnr's bae|url=https://mbaretimes.com/2020/02/meet-the-first-black-miss-rhodesia-who-is-also-aunt-to-robert-mugabe-jnrs-bae/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=Mbare Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-05|title=PICS: Meet The First Black Miss Rhodesia And Aunt To Robert Mugabe Jnr's Model Bae|url=https://iharare.com/first-black-miss-rhodesia/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=iHarare News|language=en}}</ref> |- |1978 |[[Blessed Unami Sikhosana]] |[[Bulawayo]]<ref name=":6">{{Cite magazine|url=http://sumagazine.syr.edu/2013spring/supeople/|title=SU People:Blessed Unami Sikhosana |magazine=[[Syracuse University Magazine]] |access-date=2018-08-28}}</ref> |<ref name=":6" /> |- |1979 | - | - | - |- |1980 | colspan="3" |Miss Rhodesia became [[Miss Zimbabwe]] in 1980 |}
== References == <references />
[[Category:1959 establishments in Southern Rhodesia]] [[Category:1980 disestablishments in Zimbabwe]] [[Category:Beauty pageants in Zimbabwe]] [[Category:Miss World by country|Rhodesia]] [[Category:Miss Universe by country|Rhodesia]] [[Category:Recurring events established in 1959]] [[Category:Recurring events disestablished in 1980]] [[Category:Women in Rhodesia]] [[Category:Culture of Rhodesia]]