| Miss America 1981 | |
|---|---|
 Susan Powell, Miss America 1981 | |
| Date | September 6, 1980 |
| Presenters | Ron Ely[1] |
| Venue | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Broadcaster | NBC |
| Winner | Susan Powell Oklahoma |
Miss America 1981, the 54th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1980 on NBC Network. It was the first time Ron Ely hosted, replacing Bert Parks who had hosted for 25 years.[1] It was also historic as two black women, Lencola Sullivan of Arkansas and Doris Hayes of Washington, made the finals for the first time.[1]
The winner, Susan Powell of Oklahoma, later became co-host of the series Home Matters on the Discovery Channel.
- ^ a b c "Miss Oklahoma is Miss America". The San Bernardino County Sun. Associated Press. 7 Sep 1980. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2023.