The Caribbean woman Miss Janelle Penny who shocked the world as the first black Miss Universe in 1977

Last Updated on: May 9, 2023

The Caribbean woman Miss Janelle Penny who shocked the world as the first black Miss Universe in 1977

“Miss Universe Crown is Won by Black woman”

That was the headline in newspapers around the world on July 17, 1977. And indeed it was true, for Janelle Penny Commissiong of Trinidad and Tobago had become the first black winner in the 26-year history of the pageant.

On the night of Saturday, July 16, 1977, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the memories of Evelyn Miot (Miss Haiti 1962 and first black woman to make the semifinals); Anne-Marie Braafheid (Miss Curaçao and 1st runner-up in 1968); and Gerthie David (Miss Haiti and 1st runner-up in 1975) seemed to inspire Janelle.

During each phase of the competition, she moved closer and closer to doing what no woman of color had done before…to claim the title of the most beautiful woman in the Universe.

“I felt like a ray of sunshine was around me” is how Janelle described the feeling that night.

When Janelle was announced as the new Miss Universe, Trinidad and Tobago went wild. It was another Carnaval in the streets, and Trinidadian television aired repeats of the pageant for days. The 24 year-old Caribbean beauty, daughter of a Trinidadian father and a Venezuelan mother declared that she “believed her election would contribute to erasing racial barriers.” Proud of her victory, she noted, “Beauty belongs to all people; it has no racial or geographic boundaries.”

On the way to winning the title of Miss Universe, Janelle became only the second Miss Universe to win the Miss Photogenic Award as well.

Janelle Commissiong was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad to a Trinidadian father and Venezuelan mother. She migrated with her family to New York at the age of 13. After graduating high school Janelle attended the Fashion Institute of Technology before returning to Trinidad in 1976.

She travelled the World as a goodwill ambassador afterwards, and decided to take a cash prize instead of a contract with Paramount Pictures (one of her Miss Universe prizes).

Miss Janelle (Penny) of Trinidad & Tobago was crowned Miss Universe 1977. A set of stamps were issued on 02 Aug 1978 to commemorate this achievement.