Carole Gist

Carole Anne-Marie Gist (born May 8, 1969) is an American TV host, model and first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas. The 1990 pageant had representatives from Georgia (Brenda Leithleiter), Alaska (Karin Elizabeth Meyer), Kentucky (Tiffany Tenfelde), South Carolina (Gina Tolleson, who as 1st runner-up then went on to represent the country at the Miss World pageant, winning the title) and Karin Hartz of New Jersey making up with Gist the Top 6 finalists. Gist, a 5 ft 11 3⁄4 in (182 cm) Detroit native, 20 years old at the time, eventually became first runner-up to Mona Grudt of Norway in the Miss Universe pageant of that same year. She was also the first contestant from Michigan to win Miss USA, and broke the five-year streak of winners from Texas.

Gist is a graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit. At the time of her coronation, she was a junior marketing and management major at Northwood University at Midland, Michigan.