Berry represented Ohio at Miss USA in 1986. She was first runner-up to Miss Texas, Christy Fichtner, who was the first runner-up at Miss Universe. If Fichtner had won, Berry would have inherited the Miss USA crown.
That same year, Berry was the first African-American woman to represent the USA at the Miss World competition. She finished in sixth place.
While Berry didn’t take home the Miss USA or Miss World crowns, she continued to make history in Hollywood. In 1999, Berry took on the title role in “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” a biopic about the first Black woman to be nominated for the Academy Award for best actress. The role won Berry both an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
Three years later, it was Berry who became the first Black woman to win the coveted best actress Oscar. She took home the trophy for her role in the 2001 film “Monster’s Ball.”
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