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Ms. America is a beauty pageant that is open to women from the United States 26 years of age and up who are single, divorced, widowed or married. The pageant is judged in interview, sportswear, evening gown and on-stage question in addition to their platform. State, regional and national titleholders dedicate their year to promote their chosen platform and to use their "Crown for a Purpose" by helping others through volunteer service. The pageant includes women selected to represent all 50 states and regions, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

History
The first Ms. America Pageant was held at the Luxor Las Vegas Hotel on December 7, 1997. Susan Jeske, Ms. Colorado, was crowned Ms. America 1997 winning $75,000 in cash and prizes. Susan Jeske purchased the pageant from Ms. America Inter-Nationale, Inc. in 1998 while making appearances singing the National Anthem and promoting her platform Students Against Violence to high schools and Jr. high schools across America.

Ms. America Inter-Nationale, Inc. held the pageant once on December 7, 1997. After three years, when the trademark was secured in 2000, Susan Jeske became the founder and CEO of the Ms. America Pageant Corporation. Today the Ms. America Pageant Inc. includes four titles, Ms. America, Ms. America International, Ms. International and Miss Pacific U.S. The current Ms. America Pageant Inc. logo - "the woman holding up the crown" - was created in 2012.

The first pageant directed by Susan Jeske was Ms. America International 2002 which was held at the Multi-Cultural Festival - June 29, 2002 in Westminster, California. 30 contestants competed for the title and Casey Marie Burns from Long Beach, California was chosen as the winner.

Deana Ann Aburto, is the first Latino-American to be crowned Ms. America 2004-05. A reality television star, she was on 18 episodes of the television series Container Wars.

On May 1, 2005, Vida Samadzai was the first Middle-Eastern Americans to be crowned Ms. America 2005-06. The prize was to compete in the Miss Tourism Queen International pageant, held in China on July 3, 2005. . She received the first "Miss Personality" award in the pageants history. On February 23, 2010, Missology named Vida Samadzai one of the bravest pageant contestants ever.

Debbie Nelson, Ms. America 2006-07 is an actress and best known for playing Stacy as the Pageant Announcer in the 2000 movie Miss Congeniality starring Sandra Bullock. During her reign she made several appearances honoring and supporting military families.

In 2007, Jane Park Smith was the first Asian-American to be crowned Ms. America 2007-08. During her reign, Jane was chosen to play the lead role in the movie Street Warrior starring Max Martini. She was crowned Ms. America 2007-08 on October 20, 2007 at Verdugo Hills Country Club in Glendale, California.

In 2009, Bridget Cleary from Boston, Massachusetts was the first Ms. America 2009-10 to be crowned who never competed in a pageant before on September 6, 2009 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Ontario, California.

Tracy Broughton became the first African-American and legally disabled woman to be crowned Ms. America 2011. In 1996 she was in a car accident that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair for 11 years. Broughton used a crutch to cross the stage and accept her crown. Tracy Broughton was crowned Ms. America 2011 on January 30, 2011 at the Doubletree Guest Suites Anaheim Resort in Anaheim, California.

In 2012, Nicole Rash became the first Ms. America to win the crown that also competed in the Miss America Pageant and was first runner-up to Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund. Nicole Rash was crowned Ms. America 2012 on April 15, 2012 at the Doubletree Guest Suites Anaheim Resort in Anaheim, California.

A professional model standing 6'1" and a certified accountant, Chiniqua D. Pettiway from Houston, Texas became the second African-American to win the title Ms. America 2013.  The pageant was held at the Hilton Orange County Hotel in Costa Mesa, California on June 23, 2013.

Stephanie Mills, Ms. America 2014-15, was the first doctor to win the title and was crowned on August 9, 2014 at the Curtis Theater in Brea, California. During her reign, she traveled to Texas to speak to the House Education Committee as a supporter of the concussion management bill.

On September 12, 2015, Julie Harman was officially announced as Ms. America 2016 when Amanda Wamunyima from Florida relinquished her title as Ms. America 2016 after discovering a medical condition that would leave her bedridden for months.

In 2016, Oksana Vovk became the first Ukrainian-American to be crowned Ms. America 2017. She was crowned at the Curtis Theater in Brea, California on September 3, 2016. Oksana emigrated from Ukraine to the United States in 1997 and spent the intervening years building a career in America as a litigation attorney.

Presidential Volunteer Service Award
The pageant is associated with the United States government agency Points of Light and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award where every national titleholder who qualifies, receives an award for her community service during her reign. In 2016, all contestants received the Gold Award as a group for documented cumulative 2000 volunteer service hours.

Ms. America Pageant Corporation
The Ms. America Pageant is a California Limited Liability Corporation that currently owns and runs the Ms. America, Ms. America International, Ms. International and Miss Pacific U.S. beauty contests. Based in Costa Mesa, California, the Corporation is owned by Susan Jeske who is the CEO.