Like all kids, we do not have a say about most important decisions in our lives. Where we live, is one of these important things that our inputs usually do not count. There are conflicting reports as to where exactly Majorie Vicent was born. No one will disagree that she was in the state of Illinois and of Haitian parents.
We know her parents are from Cap-Haitien, Haiti. We also know that Majorie speaks many languages. She is a great piano player. In fact, some concluded that the Fantasy Impromptu 66 she performed, gave her the title.
Majorie won the 1991 Miss America pageant by beating 50 other contestants. Majorie had 2 unsuccessful run for the Miss North Carolina and Miss Illinois pageants. It was her 2nd try at the Miss Illionos pageant that gave Majorie Vincent her first title. That victory paved the way for her. Also, she won some prizes after winning that Illinois pageant.
The Illinois pageant secured her a $42,500 scholarship reward. She also made about $100,000 in speaking engagements. Smart and beautiful, the girl with Haitian roots was a Duke University law student.
Majorie Vincent helped Haitians with their damage identities
Haitians in the states and in other parts of the world at that time, needed that victory. We all remember what happened in 1990. The FDA tagged Haitians as AIDS carrier. Many of us, especially the ones who spent a couple of days in school in the U.S have heard these terms before. To have a government agency make it official was a different thing.
That year, thousands of Haitians marched across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City to denounce what the FDA said about us. We were also seen differently because of the many Haitians that left Haiti to the U.S for economic and political reasons. That year, Haitians were among the 60 million pus that tuned it to watch the pageant. That gave us a sense of pride.
The Daily Gazette, a respected newspaper at that time got Majorie’s first official press conference as Miss America, Majorie Vincent stressed her Haitian heritage and stated her desire to lend to the economic development of Haiti.
Vincent was also on front page of Jet magazine, for being the fourth Miss America. The weekend that Vincent received the prestigious award, The Dallas Morning News wrote: “Miss America 1991 Marjorie Judith Vincent said Sunday that she’s a romantic who wants it all and plans to use her reign to help battered women. Ms. Vincent said she wants to celebrate her win with cheesecake her pageant director denied her.”
The Haitian pride
Obviously, the Haitian community was more than happy to claim her as their own just like we are doing now with Naomi Osaka. The Miami Herald wrote an article with the headlines “MISS AMERICA HOPEFUL FOR STABILITY IN HAITI”, the Herald went on to say: “Marjorie Judith Vincent, Miss America 1991 — a particular source of pride and symbol of hope for Miami’s Haitian community — arrived in Miami on Thursday night with a special message: “It’s the hard work and determination that really counts,” she said.
Marjorie Judith Vincent, 25, is visiting at the invitation of the Haitian American Women’s Coalition. The third-year law student, who is of Haitian descent, will speak to students at Toussaint Louverture Elementary.”
Vincent was determined and displayed a great deal of endurance as she had many speaking engagements, appearances scheduled. Even though she studied law, she chose another path. She was a Televsion anchor in some states. It was reported that Majorie suffered some sort of a depression in her past.
She overcame that and even created a platform so that there are more awareness to depression.
Last I heard of Majorie was that she moved to Jacksonville, FL and she finally completed her law degree at Florida Coastal Law.
