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