First Jewish Miss America Dies

The first and only Jewish Miss America died last month at age 90, it was announced Monday. Bess Myerson won the pageant in 1945, then went on to be a television personality, public official, and even had a short-lived run for U.S. Senate. Myerson's political life was even more fascinating than her landmark win: in 1977, she campaigned with Ed Koch in his run for mayor, holding hands with the bachelor candidate rumored to be gay and not dispelling rumors of marriage. (They never were married.) Later, Myerson worked under presidents Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter.