(The following article was written by Janice Penix and appeared in the Feb. 28 edition of The Graphic newspaper in Clarksville. It is reprinted with the permission of The Graphic.)
Students at Clarksville Junior High heard an inspirational message on Thursday from local native Kaye Bagsby Person, who was crowned the first Black Miss College of the Ozarks 50 years ago.
“It’s one of my greatest honors to come back to my school and say a word to you,” Person told the audience of eighth and ninth graders. “I’m grateful to God for where I am today and the story I have.”
Person’s visit was part of the school’s celebration of Black History Month. Students have been learning about noteworthy black Americans throughout February. In addition to Person’s visit, the school plans to welcome presenters from Black Pilots of America this week.
“Our goal is to recognize and celebrate the contribution of black men and women to our community, our country and to the world,” Amy Auterson, teacher and parent facilitator at CJH, said. “We have a beautifully diverse body of students at CJH, and we want to celebrate them all. We hope the students enjoy and learn a lot from our activities, lessons and speakers this month.”
A retired educator, Person, a 1977 graduate of Ozarks, now lives in Tuckerman, where she retired seven years ago after a 39-year career teaching vocal music to all grade levels.
She began her education as a child at Grace James School, the black school in Clarksville, located on what is now University of the Ozarks property. After her fifth grade year, Person transferred to Hurie Elementary, where for the first time she attended school with white classmates and teachers. She also attended junior high and high school at Clarksville, and graduated at age 16.
A talented singing voice opened the door for her to attend college following high school graduation.
“While I was in high school, my favorite thing to do was sing,” Person said. “I was blessed to get a vocal scholarship to The College of the Ozarks. I was the first freshman to receive a full-tuition vocal scholarship to Ozarks, as a 16-year-old. In those days, I didn’t understand what that really meant. But it provided me with many wonderful opportunities.”
Person credited supportive college personnel with helping her to succeed as a young student, including Dean Yeager, Jane Adams, and Dr. Charles Dawson.
“Dr. Dawson saw something in me,” she said. “Every year, the choir would take a 10-day tour where we would travel and sing at Presbyterian churches in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri. My second year, before we left on that choir tour, Dr. Dawson said he wanted me to enter the Miss CofO pageant.
“I thought there was no way. I didn’t like competing. And then I found out there was a swimsuit competition. I barely weighed 100 pounds, I was just 17 years old and was not developed like my friends because they were all older than me. They looked different than me.”
Dawson told Person her scholarship could be contingent on her participation in the 1974 Miss CofO pageant, and because she knew her family would expect her to do her part to continue to fund her education, Person agreed.
“I thought, ‘I’ll be in the pageant,’” Person recalled. “But I didn’t think I’d win! Why? Because I had a different skin color than everyone else.”
In the talent portion of the pageant, Person sang Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly,” a performance which must have impressed the judging panel, as talent accounted for 50 percent of the overall score.
“That song paid my way through college,” Person told the students. “In those days, if people of color won anything in a pageant it was Miss Congeniality. When they announced Miss Congeniality, it wasn’t me. Then they announced second runner up, first runner up … I could not believe when they called my name as the winner.
“One of my dear friends, Rosanna King Taylor, was on the stage to help with the crowning. She was supposed to give the flowers, but when they called my name, she said ‘I’m crowning her!’ It was one of the greatest nights of my life.”
Fifty years after her first pageant win – she would go on to be the first black talent award winner and second runner-up at Miss Arkansas 1974 and to become the first black Queen Elberta (Miss Johnson County) – Person said she achieved the success in her life because she heeded the advice and guidance of her parents, teachers and other mentors.
“My success came because I listened to my parents, I listened to the people who mentored me, all those teachers who believed in me and poured into my life,” she said. “My life has been beautiful. This school took care of me and sent me to Ozarks. Then Ozarks took care of me and sent me to my first job, at Taylor Street Development school. I am so grateful for the opportunities I was given.”
Person encouraged the students to live their lives in such a way they can give back to others.
“My alma mater meant something to me,” she said. “It still means something to me. Take your life seriously. Take your education seriously. Choose something to guide you.
“You can’t go to the bank and take something out if you haven’t already put something in. Invest in your life, in your education, your community, your school, your family. Invest not just in yourself, but in yourself so that you can give back to others.”
Topics: Alumni Stories