Katrina Roberts crowned first Miss Black and Gold

By Sonia Jackson
Assistant Web Editor

The first Miss Black and Gold Pageant, sponsored by the Tau Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., took place in the university center lounge, Oct. 10 at 7:25 p.m. and selected Katrina Roberts, 19, as the first-ever Miss Black and Gold from UNCP.

Roberts competed for the title against the following contestants:

•Brandy Crawley, 19, a junior from Atlanta.

•Adrienne Pilson, 20, a junior from Raleigh.

•Tiffany Downing, 19, a sophomore from Rocky Mount, NC.

•Kandis Craft, 19, a sophomore from Fayetteville.

Photo by Carol Franch Contestants from the Black and Gold Pageant pose with their honors and awards.

The young ladies had the opportunity to show off their physical attributes in the swimsuit competition and dazzle the audience with their grace and poise for the evening gown competition.

In the talent competition, Crawley performed an original piece " Hear Me."

"Let the Words of My Life" was sung by Pilson, the second contestant, was followed by Downing, who did a praise dance to Kirk Franklin's "My Love, My Life, My All."

Craft recited "Mother to Son" a poem by Langston Hughes while Roberts finished up the talent competition with a rendition of the "Phenomenal Woman" poem by Maya Angelou.

The On-Stage Knowledge and Awareness was the last competition where each contestant was asked, "What qualities should Miss Black and Gold exemplify and why?"

"Poised," "strong," and "proud" were just some of the responses contestants gave. After the final competition all the contestants were brought back to the stage where UNCP senior and Alpha Phi Alpha brother, U. Grant Baldwin Jr., serenaded them with a song that garnered a very enthusiastic response from the audience, especially the women.

Miss UNCP Morgan Hunt announced the winners of the pageant.

Loud applause sounded when Roberts was crowned the winner of the first Miss Black and Gold Pageant.

Roberts, who is from Brooklyn, said she was excited and that words couldn't explain how overjoyed she felt.

The first runner-up was Crawley, who was also awarded the Miss Congeniality Award. Downing was named second runner-up.

"I want to support them," freshman Alvner Strong, said. Strong had come to the pageant to support her friend who sang in the Voices of Serenity group and whose sister was also in the pageant.

Michael McMillian, a sophomore, also attended the pageant. He said he was "proud of all the ladies coming out and showing their talent" and for their contributions to the first annual Miss Black and Gold Pageant.

Although this was the first time the Miss Black and Gold Pageant, a scholarship pageant,was presented at UNCP, the very first Miss Black and Gold pageant happened in 1976.

The funds gathered for the event will go "towards the pageant and the contestants," Raji Johnson, a junior and the vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha, said. The money left over will send Roberts, the pageant winner, to the district pageant at Fayetteville State University Nov. 12.

Featured entertainment for the pageant included performances by Armintha Tucker, who sang "Open My Heart" and Voices of Serenity who sang two powerful songs including "Dance Children Dance."