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Chelsi Smith
Chelsi Smith
Chelsi Smith
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Chelsi Mariam Pearl Smith (August 23, 1973 – September 8, 2018) was an American actress, singer, TV host and beauty queen who was crowned Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995.[2] Smith was the third Miss USA of African-American origin, after Carole Gist (1990) and Kenya Moore (1993), in addition to being the sixth American woman to win Miss Universe and the first since Shawn Weatherly was crowned Miss Universe 1980.[3][4]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Smith was born in Redwood City, California,[5] to 19-year-old parents Craig Smith, an African-American maintenance man, and Mary Denise Trimble, a white American secretary.[6] Her parents divorced before she was two, and her mother, an alcoholic at the time, granted Smith's maternal grandparents Barnie and Jeanette custody of her.[5]

When Smith was seven years old, she moved to Kingwood, Texas, where her grandparents would later get divorced. Smith grew up in a divided home while she attended high school in Deer Park, Texas.[5] Prior to her win at Miss USA, she was a sophomore majoring in education at San Jacinto College.[3][7]

Pageantry

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Miss Texas USA

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Smith competed in her first major beauty contest in 1994, when she was a semifinalist in the Miss Texas USA pageant, as Miss South East Texas USA.[8] The following year, she competed again as Miss Galveston County USA, and won the title, as well as the Miss Congeniality award.[9] Smith, a multiracial American,[10] was the first titleholder of African-American heritage in the pageant's history.[11]

Miss USA 1995

[edit]

Smith went on to compete and win at Miss USA 1995 on February 10, 1995.[2] In the top three final question. When asked how she, as an advisor, would change the First Lady's image if asked for a consultation, Smith replied:

I would tell her not to change her image, actually. I believe very strongly in who I am, and I've seen 50 ladies tonight who believe very strongly in who they are, and I really think that she wouldn't have made it as far as she has if she wouldn't have been herself, so I really truly think she should stay exactly the way she is."[12]

She became the seventh woman from her state to hold the Miss USA title and also won the Miss Congeniality award as she had at her state pageant, becoming the only Miss USA winner and Miss Texas USA in history to win this award.[13]

After her win, Smith appeared as a celebrity contestant on Wheel of Fortune[5] and as an award presenter at the People's Choice Awards.[8]

Miss Universe 1995

[edit]

After winning Miss USA, Smith competed and won at Miss Universe 1995, at the Windhoek Country Club, Windhoek, on May 12, 1995. Her national costume was a suffragist. She was the highest placed contestant after the preliminary competition, which pushed her into the top ten. The first runner-up was Manpreet Brar of India, and Smith became the first Miss USA and sixth representative to win Miss Universe in 15 years. At the end of her reign, she crowned Alicia Machado of Venezuela as her successor.[14][15]

Life after Miss Universe

[edit]

As a model, Smith worked for Hawaiian Tropic, Jantzen,[16] Pontiac, Venus Swimwear, and Pure Protein among others.[17] She made appearances on Martin, Due South and the TLC documentary The History of the Bathing Suit.[17]

With the support of Music World Entertainment/Sony, Smith co-wrote and recorded with producer Damon Elliott her first single, "Dom Da Da", part of the soundtrack for The Sweetest Thing, starring Cameron Diaz.[17] In 2003, she appeared in the independent film Playas Ball, where she co-starred with Allen Payne and Elise Neal. She also co-hosted Beyoncé's special Beyonce: Family and Friends Tour on pay-per-view and appeared on HBO in Saladin Patterson's short film One Flight Stand with Marc Blucas and Aisha Tyler. She was a judge at the 2006 Miss Teen USA pageant[18] and a guest judge for the Miss Peru 2016 beauty pageant.[19]

In 2011, she was presented with the Influential Multiracial Public Figure award.[20]

Smith married and later divorced fitness coach Kelly Blair,[5] and after her reign as Miss Universe moved to Los Angeles.[21]

Death

[edit]

Smith was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2017. She died at her mother's home in Mifflin, Pennsylvania, aged 45 on September 8, 2018.[2][22][23]

Legacy

[edit]

During the 74th edition of the Miss USA pageant on October 24, 2025, it was announced that the Miss Congeniality Award would be renamed in Smith's honor. [24]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Chelsi Smith

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Chelsi Mariam Pearl Smith (August 23, 1973 – September 8, 2018) was an American beauty queen, actress, singer, and television host who won the Miss Universe 1995 title, marking her as the first and only Texan to achieve both Miss USA and Miss Universe crowns. Born in Redwood City, California, to an African-American father and white American mother, Smith represented Texas after winning Miss Texas USA 1995 and Miss USA 1995 earlier that year. Her reign included international travel and advocacy work, followed by a career in entertainment with appearances in films like The Sweetest Thing (2002) and television hosting roles. Smith died at age 45 from liver cancer after a year-long battle with the disease. In 2025, the Miss USA organization honored her legacy by renaming its Miss Congeniality award in her name, recognizing her congenial spirit during her pageant years.

Early Life and Background

Family and Upbringing

Chelsi Smith was born on August 23, 1973, in , to Craig Smith, an African-American maintenance worker, and Mary Denise Trimble, a white secretary. Her parents were both 19 years old at the time of her birth, and the family background reflected her biracial heritage, with limited ongoing exposure to her father's African-American cultural influences due to infrequent contact with him following their early separation. Smith's upbringing involved challenges stemming from her parents' when she was approximately two years old, after which she had minimal interaction with her . This dynamic contributed to her later public stance during pageants, where she resisted being categorized solely as , emphasizing her mixed racial identity instead. While specific details on daily life in are sparse, her mother's role as a working secretary and the subsequent relocation to shaped her formative years, transitioning from a birthplace to a -based environment that aligned with her eventual pageantry pursuits.

Education and Early Interests

Smith graduated from Deer Park High School in , in 1992. She subsequently enrolled at , a in , , as a majoring in elementary education by early 1995. Smith's entry into competitive pageantry stemmed from her ambition to fund attendance at a four-year university, preferring it over the limitations of her two-year community college program; the prize money from such contests offered a pathway to achieve this goal. Prior to her state-level success, she participated in local beauty pageants, reflecting an early interest in performance and public presentation that aligned with her educational aspirations.

Pageantry Achievements

Miss Texas USA 1995

Chelsi Smith competed in the Miss Texas USA 1995 pageant as Miss Galveston County USA, having previously placed as a semifinalist in the 1994 edition representing Miss South East Texas USA. The pageant was held on June 28, 1994, in , with and Stephanie Kuehne-Kissner as presenters. At age 21 and a student from the area majoring in education, Smith won the title, becoming the first titleholder of African-American heritage in the pageant's history. She also received the Miss Congeniality award, recognizing her interpersonal skills among contestants. Smith's victory qualified her to represent at the 1995 competition the following February, where she again earned Miss Congeniality before advancing to win the national crown. Her success at the state level marked a milestone for in the Miss USA system, which has historically produced strong performers, though Smith's subsequent national and international triumphs were unprecedented for the state.

Miss USA 1995

Chelsi Smith, competing as , won the title on February 10, 1995, at the 44th annual pageant held in . Her victory made her the first African American woman to hold the Miss USA crown. Smith also earned the Miss Congeniality award during the competition, recognizing her popularity among contestants. The pageant featured 51 state representatives vying through preliminary rounds, including swimsuit and evening gown competitions, followed by interviews and final onstage presentations. Smith advanced to the top placements, outperforming Shanna Moakler of New York, who placed as first runner-up, and Nichole Lynn Holmes of , named second runner-up. As the winner, she succeeded Lu Parker of and gained the right to represent the at the pageant.

Miss Universe 1995

The pageant, the 44th edition of the annual international beauty contest, took place on May 12, 1995, at the in , , with 82 contestants participating. This marked the first time the event was held on the African continent. , who had won the title earlier that year, represented the in the competition. Smith advanced through the preliminary rounds, which included swimsuit and evening gown competitions, to become one of the top 10 semifinalists. She progressed further to the top five finalists, competing in the interview segment and final question round where contestants addressed topics of global importance. Demonstrating strong stage presence and articulate responses, Smith outperformed her competitors in the decisive phases. In the pageant's climax, Smith was announced as the winner and crowned by the outgoing , of . Her victory made her the fifth American to claim the title and the first from , ending a for the U.S. since 1980. As the biracial daughter of an African-American father and white mother, Smith's success represented a milestone, being the first African-American woman to win .

Professional Career After Pageantry

Entertainment Ventures

Following her pageantry career, Smith pursued modeling opportunities, representing brands such as Pontiac, Venus Swimwear, and Pure Protein. She also engaged in acting, with credited roles in the comedy film The Sweetest Thing (2002), the sports drama Playas Ball (2007), and an appearance in the television series Due South (1994). These endeavors were part of her broader transition to entertainment while residing between Los Angeles and Houston. In music, Smith signed a with Music World/Columbia/ in 1999, marking her entry into the industry as a singer. Her entertainment pursuits, though not yielding major commercial breakthroughs, reflected a diversification from pageantry into performance and media.

Advocacy and Public Engagement

Following her pageantry career, Smith engaged in and advocacy, focusing on and the protection of children over nearly 25 years. She served as a and child advocate, leveraging her platform to promote these causes. Smith was recognized as a tireless supporter of the gay community and underrepresented groups, often championing the underdog in social initiatives. Her efforts emphasized intelligent and enlightened advocacy for personal causes, as noted by contemporaries in the pageant world. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to public engagement, the Chelsi Smith Foundation was established posthumously in September 2018 to perpetuate her work in women's rights and child welfare.

Personal Life

Marriage and Relationships

Smith began dating fitness coach Kelly in 1993. The couple became engaged in May 1995, shortly after her win. They married on December 28, 1996, following the end of her reign. After the wedding, Smith and relocated to to support her entertainment pursuits. The ended in , though the exact date remains unspecified in available records; Smith later reflected on the period as part of broader life changes including career shifts. No children resulted from the union. Public records indicate no subsequent marriages or long-term relationships were documented before her death in 2018.

Health Challenges and Death

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Smith was diagnosed with in the spring of 2017. Details regarding the initial symptoms or diagnostic process were not publicly disclosed by Smith or her representatives. She chose to keep her health challenges private, maintaining an active presence on without acknowledging the or any related medical interventions. Specific information about her treatment regimen remains limited due to her emphasis on ; no public records detail procedures such as , , or targeted therapies. Reports indicate she battled the disease for approximately one year before her condition deteriorated significantly. In the final stages, Smith relocated to her mother's home in Mifflin, , to receive .

Final Days and Passing

In the latter stages of her illness, Smith's condition worsened significantly throughout 2018, rendering her extremely weak and necessitating a relocation in August to her mother's home in , where she spent her final weeks surrounded by family. She had maintained privacy regarding her treatments and declining health since her 2017 diagnosis. Smith died on the afternoon of September 8, 2018, at age 45, succumbing to after a battle lasting over a year. Her family issued a statement announcing her passing following a protracted illness, describing her as a loving , niece, and friend whose "infectious , joie de vivre, and free spirit" would be deeply missed, while emphasizing her role as an inspiration to young women through her compassionate heart and enlightened mind.

Legacy and Impact

Breaking Barriers in Pageantry

Chelsi Smith's triumph at in 1995 established her as the first biracial titleholder in the pageant's 43-year history, with her father African-American and her mother white. This victory challenged the traditional pageantry, where winners had previously been exclusively of European descent. Smith emphasized her dual heritage during competitions, rejecting labels that reduced her identity to a single race, which highlighted emerging discussions on multiracial representation in beauty contests. Her subsequent wins at on February 10 and on May 12 in , —the first hosting in —further amplified these breakthroughs, making her the first biracial Miss Universe and the only Texan to claim both national and international crowns. As the third Miss USA of African-American descent following in 1990 and in 1993, Smith's achievements underscored a gradual diversification in American pageantry, though she consistently advocated for recognition of biracial identities over monolithic racial categorizations. In , she received the Influential Multiracial award, affirming her role in advancing visibility for mixed-race individuals in public spheres, including pageantry.

Posthumous Recognition

Following her death on September 8, 2018, Chelsi Smith received ongoing tributes from the pageant community, including annual commemorations by the Organization on her birthday, August 23, highlighting her historic win as the first African-American . In a significant posthumous honor, the Organization renamed its Miss Congeniality Award as the Chelsi Smith Award during the 74th annual pageant held in , on October 23, 2025. This change recognizes Smith's embodiment of kindness, grace, and congeniality, qualities for which she herself was awarded Miss Congeniality at 1995. The award, now dedicated to perpetuating her legacy, was presented to a contestant exemplifying these traits, underscoring Smith's enduring influence as the only Texan to win both and titles. The renaming was announced amid broader pageant reflections on and inclusivity, with organizers emphasizing Smith's barrier-breaking achievements and personal warmth as inspirations for future participants. No additional formal awards or endowments in her name have been documented as of October 2025, though her story continues to feature in discussions of trailblazing figures in American pageantry.

References

  1. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Chelsi-Smith-1995-Miss-Universe-from-Texas-dies-13216733.php
  2. https://people.com/miss-usa-makes-renames-miss-congeniality-award-after-chelsi-smith-11837125
  3. https://www.pageantplanet.com/profile/chelsi-smith
  4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1391702/
  5. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/miss-usa-renames-miss-congeniality-award-after-late/story?id=126859444
  6. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1391702/bio/
  7. https://ethnicelebs.com/chelsi-smith
  8. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/texas-twenty-chelsi-smith/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1391702/trivia/
  10. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-11-mn-30654-story.html
  11. https://timenote.info/en/Chelsi-Smith
  12. https://alchetron.com/Miss-Texas-USA-1995
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fGlg0rKCeI
  14. https://www.deseret.com/1995/2/11/19158763/college-student-from-texas-wins-miss-usa-pageant/
  15. https://www.facebook.com/pageantink/posts/miss-usa-1995the-44th-miss-usa-pageant-was-held-february-10-1995-in-south-padre-/1640563856130439/
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3302718/
  17. https://www.facebook.com/MissUSA/posts/we-mourn-the-loss-of-chelsi-smith-who-is-gone-way-too-soon-she-was-special-to-so/10156092889447968/
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjSXxpdRPa4
  19. https://abc7ny.com/post/former-miss-usa-and-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-dies-at-45-/4200852/
  20. https://www.fox6now.com/news/former-miss-usa-and-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-dies-after-battle-with-liver-cancer
  21. https://people.com/tv/former-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-dies-liver-cancer/
  22. https://www.essence.com/celebrity/miss-universe-chelsi-smith-cancer/
  23. https://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/09-10-18-chelsi-smith-miss-universe-obituary-dies-houston-jj-smith/
  24. https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/former-miss-universe-deer-park-native-dies-at-45/285-592466913
  25. https://globalbeauties.squarespace.com/news/2018/9/23/chelsi-smith-foundation-started-in-honor-of-late-miss-universe
  26. https://m.facebook.com/donate/477956902704528/
  27. https://www.facebook.com/apboupha/videos/dedicated-to-chelsi-smith-miss-universe-1995-miss-usa-1995/545524891692729/
  28. https://news.amomama.com/253968-chelsi-smith-was-first-african-american.html
  29. https://pageantinterviews.weebly.com/chelsi-smith-interview.html
  30. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192976711/chelsi-smith
  31. https://apnews.com/general-news-77b7fd32b8724e5081a47c80bfa3ed61
  32. https://extratv.com/2018/09/10/former-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-dead-at-45/
  33. https://www.nydailynews.com/2018/09/09/chelsi-smith-first-bi-racial-woman-to-be-crowned-miss-texas-dies-of-cancer/
  34. https://www.facebook.com/criticalbeautypage/videos/exactly-30-years-ago-today-on-may-12-1995-chelsi-smith-was-crowned-miss-universe/1098106718828077/
  35. https://www.people.com/tv/former-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-dies-liver-cancer/
  36. https://www.facebook.com/MissUniverse/videos/in-loving-memory-of-miss-universe-1995-chelsi-smith-on-her-special-day%25EF%25B8%258F/1086805550280066/
  37. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNtwnvvWiWv/?hl=en
  38. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/miss-usa-renames-miss-congeniality-award-after-late-126859444
  39. https://arynews.tv/a-tribute-to-chelsi-smith-miss-congeniality-award-renamed-at-miss-usa-2024
  40. https://www.aol.com/articles/miss-usa-makes-history-renaming-045335592.html
  41. https://www.soapcentral.com/pop-culture/news-what-happened-late-former-miss-universe-chelsi-smith-cause-death-explored-pageant-renames-miss-congeniality-award
  42. https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews/posts/the-miss-usa-organization-paid-tribute-to-pageant-history-during-its-74th-annual/1238415818145296/
  43. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQPHkhhjnpT/
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