Then and Now | A Royal Lineage

A Royal Lineage

From Miss "A" State to Miss UAPB, the 90-year history behind the name continues to reveal much about the university's legacy

Janie C. Moore, Miss "A" State 1945-1946, with her royal court.

By Stephanie Sims and John Martin | Photographs courtesy of University Museum and Cultural Center and UAPB Archives

The history of the university can be found throughout the campus. With the presence of the annual homecoming celebration, much of UAPB’s legacy is on display. The week-long event is a time when the past comes to life, as traditions of old are new again. Alumni return to gather with students, staff, and the community to celebrate and to remember. One of the longest standing traditions during this time is the crowning of the campus queen. This year, when the tiara is placed upon the head of Jade West, she will join a history spanning 90 years and a name lost to time.

Above: Alena V. Erby, Miss "A" State 1928-1929, was the university's first documented campus queen.

Prior to 1977, the crowning of a campus queen came with the title Miss “A” State. Despite the school being officially known at the time as Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal (AM&N) College, students still often referred to the university as “Arkansas State College”.

The Arkansas State College moniker denoted the school’s purpose as an institution primarily for the education of African Americans, which can be seen on a plaque installed inside of Caldwell Hall.

Alumni from that time often remarked that the name carried on because when someone asked what college you attended “A” State rolled off the tongue better. While it wasn't the official name, “A” State quickly found itself associated with the university’s various sports teams, clubs, and of course, the campus queen.

For over four decades (1929-1976), Miss Arkansas State was an unofficial title given to the college’s campus queen. The first documented Miss Arkansas State was Alena V. Erby. This title carried on for forty-seven years until the last Miss Arkansas State, Janice Carter. The crowning of Miss “A” State while accompanied by the captains of the football team quickly became tradition during homecoming games.

Above: Irma Lee Glasco, Miss "A" State 1948-1949, is accompanied by Football Co-Captain Cleo Lee.

These homecoming games drew large crowds and notable celebrities of the time such as Jackie Robinson. Since the inaugural ceremony, the crowning of the campus queen evolved from a moment on the football field to an elegant coronation ball.

The 1970s would ultimately see the end of the Arkansas State College title. While the name lived on briefly after the college’s merger into the University of Arkansas System in 1972, the school’s current name, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, eventually took over. It was just four years after the merger when the first Miss UAPB, Faye Wilson, would be crowned. The time period during the merger was one filled with concern. Students, staff, and individuals from across the state feared that the identity of Arkansas’ oldest predominately black institution would be lost. It was traditions like the homecoming queen that ensured the university’s history would be a part of its future.

Along with the transformation of the school, the campus queen would see her role as representative of the university evolve over time as well. Many women have been emblematic of this growth over the years, but it was during the 1970s when these women would achieve nation-wide fame.

It was during this time that HBCUs began to enjoy more notoriety because popular publications such as Ebony magazine featured campus queens, including Faye Wilson in 1977. Her successor, Sandra Dupree, would also capture the attention of the public when she represented the state of Arkansas at the Orange Bowl in 1978. In the years since, Miss UAPB has continued to promote humility, elegance, and strength.

Each queen has served as an ambassador for the university in various capacities including professional development, community outreach, and university awareness. From Jamie Robbins’ work with local youth organizations to Alexis Cole’s involvement with Shoes 4 Africa or Angelica Perkins, winning the top spot in the 2019 EBONY© magazine HBCU Campus Queens competition, these women continue to prove Miss UAPB is much more than just a title. Wherever you find yourself in the world when you’re speaking to an alumnus, perhaps you should take the time to ask them about their campus queen.