Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas. The 1990 pageant had representatives from Georgia, Alaska, Kentucky, South Carolina and Karin Hartz of New Jersey making up with Gist the Top 6 finalists. Gist, a 5 ft 11 �?? in Detroit native, 20 years old at the time, eventually became first runner-up to Mona Grudt of Norway in the Miss Universe pageant of that same year. She was also the first contestant from Michigan to win Miss USA, and broke the five-year streak of winners from Texas. 

May 8th, 1969 in Detroit (Age 55)