History 21 The Podcast - 1.21 Anoka Princess Karen George

In 1979 Karen George became an Anoka Princess and spent the next year driving back and forth from college in Morehead, MN to represent her home town at various events and parades. George shares her journey as a candidate and Princess, how she designed the first Halloween themed float for the city and her lasting connections with Anoka Halloween.

Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director, Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Erin McBrien, ACHS Archivist.

Podcast interview transcript

Karen George

Anoka Princess, 1979-1980

While preparing for her first year of college at Concordia College in Morehead, MN, Karen George was invited to participate in the candidate program for Miss Anoka. In a group of 45 candidates, George became one of the Anoka Princesses, October 1979.

Throughout 1980 during her reign, she participated in many parades and events representing the city of Anoka, along with her fellow Princess, Karen Kind and Anoka Queen, Holly Lysdahl.

Later in life Karen served as President of Anoka Halloween, Inc in 2008 , 2009 and 2019 as well as a Minneapolis Aquatennial Captain in 2014.

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2021 Coronation

Miss Anoka Holly Lysdahl and Anoka Princess Karen George on the pre-1980 pink and purple Anoka parade float.

Anoka Princesses Karen George and Karen Kind on the new Anoka Halloween float at the Waite Parke parade, 1980.

Karen George and the other Anoka royalty flanked by candidates at the 1980 Anoka Coronation ceremony.

Close-up of Karen George’s crown when she served as Anoka Princess, 1979-1980.

The dress Karen George wore during parades and events during her year as Anoka Princess, 1979-1980.

Anoka County Library Minute

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson (FICTION WIL). ). Charlotte loves being an elementary school librarian. Her twin sister, Ginny, is her opposite in personality and interests, aspiring to become Miss American Treasure. An allergic reaction the night before the pageant prompts Charlotte to step into Ginny’s shoes. Although they successfully switched identities as children, they haven’t done so in years, and the reserved Charlotte must become a self-confident beauty at ease in the world of beauty pageants to fulfill her sister’s dream. This book is a light and fluffy read for those days when you want to escape to fantasyland.

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith (MYSTERY MCC). Book 3 in the popular “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” cozy mystery series, starring Mma Ramotswe, the Miss Marple of Botswana (now Zimbabwe). Ramotswe takes a case from a politician who believes his brother’s beautiful wife is poisoning him. Her assistant takes a lucrative case investigating the backgrounds of 4 contestants for the Miss Beauty and Integrity crown. The real substance of these books is the insightful cultural observations of Mma Ramotswe and the reader’s immersion into the lives of these African characters. For anyone wanting a series of light, likeable, entertaining, funny, absorbing, well written and compelling amateur detective books - with a difference, then the “No.1 Ladies Detective Agency” books are a must.

Mr. and Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel (FICTION MCD) is the zany story of Mrs. Maxine Simmons, a Palm Springs socialite whose husband has just left her for his 22-year-old secretary. After a humiliating Thanksgiving meltdown gets Maxine banished to Scottsdale, AZ, the former beauty queen decides to rehabilitate herself by seeking the Mr. and Mrs. American Pie crown in Palm Springs. To qualify for the pageant, however, she needs a husband and a kid. Her current lack of family doesn’t slow down Maxine, as she cobbles together a couple of Scottsdale neighbors to become her faux family. Set in the 1970’s, this fun, escapist read will leave you laughing out loud.

Adult Nonfiction

Looking for Miss America: A Pageant’s 100-Year Quest to Define Womanhood by Margot Mifflin Craig (791.66 MIF) is a fast-paced narrative of the century-long history of the Miss America competition. It’s a history that mirrors the history of the United States over the same time. From the post-suffrage 1920’s and the Eisenhower 1950’s to today’s #MeToo era, the pageant has had to adapt to changing ideals of American womanhood. Mifflin describes the infamous Rule Seven, which barred racial minorities, and how it was eventually eliminated in the 1950’s. After the elimination of the Rule Seven, it would take nearly 30 years for a woman of color to be crowned Miss America, when Vanessa Williams won the 1984 title. This book covers the never-ending controversies the pageant has faced and interviews many former contestants, including those who used their scholarship winnings to finance high-powered careers.

Miss World 1970: How I Entered a Pageant and Wound Up Making History by Jennifer Hosten (921 HOS). As its title states, this is an autobiography of the 1970 Miss World title holder. Hosten entered the Miss Grenada pageant on a lark, won it, then won the Miss World title in equally unlikely fashion. She describes her experiences during her year as Miss World, as well as how she used her title to build a diplomatic career in Grenada and Canada. That year’s pageant was notorious for the Women’s Liberation protesters, who stormed the stage, planted bombs, and chased Bob Hope from the stage. The pageant also marked the first time a woman of color won the title. The juxtaposition of the formal objection to the exploitation of women and the racial barrier-breaking outcome made the 1970 Miss World pageant one of the most historic beauty pageants ever held. This book was the basis for a feature film, Misbehaviour (available on DVD), starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the title character, Keira Knightley as a feminist protester, and Greg Kinnear takes a turn as host Bob Hope.

Children

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy (YA FICTION MUR). Sixteen-year-old Willowdean is an overweight, Dolly Parton-loving girl whose mother directs the oldest beauty pageant in Texas, Miss Teen Blue Bonnet - a pageant she once won. It’s the only thing happening in Clover City, TX. Willowdean’s mother diets to fit into a dress for the ceremony and tries to get her daughter, whom she calls Dumplin’, to slim down as well. Dumplin’ doesn’t. The story explores all the teenage girl issues, from boys to self-image, in an entertaining way. This heartwarming story was made into a Netflix movie starring Jennifer Aniston in an unlikely role as a pageant mom. Of course, the movie has an amazing soundtrack by Dolly Parton that includes collaborations with Sia, Elle King, Mavis Staples, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Macy Gray, and Dorothy.

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles (J FICTION CHA) is the story of Vanessa Martin, an African American middle school student in Newark, NJ who is encouraged by her music teacher to enter her school’s first beauty pageant the same year Vanessa Williams wins the Miss America crown. Like most teenagers, she desperately wants to be accepted, but doesn’t think she’s pretty enough to win even though she has a beautiful singing voice. With her mother incarcerated, Vanessa must find her own path to success. Despite the cliches, this is a wonderfully told tale of a teenage girl facing her demons, and the neighborhood bully, to become a confident young adult who can rise above her circumstances.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (J FICTION DIC). Ten-year-old Raymie Clarke’s father has run off with a dental hygienist and Raymie has a plan to bring him back: win the 1975 Little Miss Central Florida Tire contest. Once he sees her photo in the newspaper, she thinks, he’ll return to the family. She learns to twirl a baton and forges friendships with two other contestants, one of whom has entered the pageant to sabotage it in an act of rebellion. The story culminates with a dramatic cat-rescue attempt, but it’s the strength of the girls’ friendships and their observations of the world they inhabit that is the heart of the book, as the girls learn to trust each other and themselves throughout the competition.

Video

Little Miss Sunshine (DVD LIT). The multigenerational Hoover family travels across the country in a VW bus to California to support their young daughter in the Little Miss Sunshine children’s beauty pageant. The hilarious adventures of this madcap family put the fun in dysfunctional. It was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2006 and won two - Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin as Grandpa Ed. Also starring Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, and Abigail Breslin. This warm-hearted, cross-country road trip will appeal to anyone who’s taken a family vacation and somehow still loves their relatives when they return home.

Miss Juneteenth (DVD MIS) (and streaming on Kanopy.com) is a 2020 drama that follows a former teen beauty queen and struggling single mom as she pushes her daughter to win the same crown. Juneteenth celebrates the slaves being set free in Texas two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Set in suburban Fort Worth, this film introduces viewers to local festivities on a holiday that’s been commemorated by the Black community for over a century. While specific to an African American subculture, the universal theme of a parent trying to live out her thwarted dreams through a child, who has plans of her own, will appeal to almost everyone. Official selection of the Sundance and South by Southwest film festivals.