Today in History: First South African Miss Universe crowned

Eighteen-year-old Margaret Gardiner was the first South African to win the Miss Universe title.

Blake Linder Journalist

Margaret was the first South African to win the coveted Miss Universe title. Image: IMDb.
Margaret Gardiner became the first African as well as South African winner of the Miss Universe pageant when she donned the crown exactly 40 years ago today.

Margaret was born in Cape Town in 1959, and was only 18 when she walked down the ramp at the 1978 Miss Universe pageant held at the Centro de Convenciones de Acapulco in Acapulco, Mexico.

After the three semi-final competitions, she entered the finals in fourth place out of five, but managed to do the country proud by winning the competition.

After the announcement of her victory, she received her crown from Janelle Commissiong, who became the first black titleholder of the pageant when she won in 1977. Margaret remained the only Miss Universe titleholder from South Africa until Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was crowned Miss Universe 2017.

Margaret holds a BA in Psychology from the College of Charleston and is the author of two books on health and beauty. She attended St George’s Cathedral where Desmond Tutu preached. She is a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that votes on and hosts the Golden Globes.

Relive Margaret’s time at the pageant in 1978 right here:

https://roodepoortrecord.co.za/2018/07/24/today-in-history-first-south-african-miss-universe-crowned-web/