role model
PRESENT Cockerham says she is focusing on being available to her son , afreshman in college , and daughter , ahigh school junior .
HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN RUNNING FOR MISS SOUTH CAROLINA ? Growing up in the south , pageants were huge , and always something we looked forward to as a family . My mom and friends and I would watch Miss America every year , and I remember seeing Vanessa Williams ( the first Black Miss America ) crowned . I had always been a fan , but now I thought “ Wow , this is something Icould do .” So I competed in pageants , and I won some and lost some — I was Miss Columbia High School — and what Itook away was that Iloved the competitiveness , but also the sisterhood and support .
In my freshman year of college at University of North Carolina- Charlotte , there were posters all over my dorm for the Miss Charlotte Pageant . The $ 100 entry fee was going tobereimbursed , soIdecided it would be fun to do . Because I ’ d competed in high school pageants , I had the dress , and my mom brought it uptomeand helped me get a bathing suit . I was first runner up .
Then a couple weeks later while on spring break , the Miss Columbia Pageant was being held . I took advantage of the opportunity , and I won ! In July , I competed for Miss South Carolina . At that time , it was probably one of the biggest pageants in the state .
WHAT WAS THE REACTION TO YOUR BEING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN THE MISS SOUTH CAROLINA CROWN ? Most people were happy , but some were not . At that time , the South Carolina pageant was run by acouple who ’ d been doing it for 30 years , and they ran alot of events with long-term sponsors . I won on a Saturday , and it was known that the winner spoke at a little Southern Baptist Church the following day . They made abig deal about this — whoever won needed a proper Sunday dress and made remarks . And on Sunday morning , one of the representatives came in and explained to me that Iwas not invited . At 18 years old , that was pretty upsetting . It was probably for the best , because they were probably trying to shield me from churchgoers who would never expect Miss South Carolina to be Black , but it was the hardest pill to swallow .
My term as Miss South Carolina was just from July to the end of August , because then I went to Atlantic City to compete for Miss America . And The State newspaper , based in my hometown of Columbia , ran an opinion piece saying I didn ’ t represent the values of South Carolina . But every person down the line in my family is from South Carolina as far as we can trace back .
WHAT MEMORIES DOYOU HAVE OF THE MISS AMERICA COMPETITION ? You go to Miss America not knowing any of the women , with no biases , and you support each other . We did form a bond . I remember being so incredibly impressed by the other contestants and their accomplishments . They were bright and gifted . One of the contestants — Ithink it was Miss Ohio — was a very accomplished opera singer . Now she travels all over the world , and that ’ s her
COURTESY OF MAURI SOLAGES PHOTOGRAPHY
10 HOLIDAY 2020 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE