Janelle Commissiong
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born | Janelle Penny Commissiong 1953 (age 58–59) Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago |
|---|---|
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Title(s) | Miss Trinidad & Tobago 1977 Miss Universe 1977 |
Janelle Commissiong (born 1953) was born in Trinidad and Tobago. Commissiong migrated to the United States at the age of 13, and returned to Trinidad and Tobago ten years later. After winning the Miss Trinidad and Tobago title, she went on to be crowned Miss Universe 1977 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
In New York City, she studied fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology, but returned to Port of Spain in 1976. The following year, Commissiong had been selected to represent the Island at the 1977 Miss Universe competition in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
She was elected Miss Photogenic four days before the final, becoming the second black woman to win the award in Miss Universe history. On July 16, in the National Theater of Santo Domingo, Commissiong was crowned Miss Universe, attracting international attention as the first black winner in the chronology of Miss Universe.
During her reign, she was an advocate for black rights and world peace. Commissiong was awarded the Trinity Cross, the country's highest award, in 1977. Three postage stamps were also issued in her honour.
She married Brian Bowen, founder of Bowen Marine, who died in an accident in November 1989. After his death, she married businessman Alwin Chow.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
 |
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2009) |
- Janelle Commissiong at bestoftrinidad.com
- The Penny that didn't drop - biography at nalis.gov.tt
- [1]
|
||||||||
