Miss Kalilah Allen Harris Crowned As Winner

The 2007 Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant ended last Friday at the Senegambia Beach Hotel. The much-hyped pageant climaxed with the crowning of Miss Black Tennessee, Kalilah Allen-Harris, as the winner of the breathtaking event, which was marked by glamour and razzmatazz.

Out of a bevy of 36 young, beautiful, intelligent, eloquent, debonair and talented belles, the 22-year-old Tennessee queen emerged victorious after stunning the crowd with her enchanting voice, breathtaking catwalk and swanky dress.     

The first runner-up was Miss Black New Jersey, Chenva Greeve, 21, followed by Cleantha Samuel, 23, Miss US Virgin Islands as the 2nd runner-up. Hennicia Manning, Miss Black Georgia, 26, became 3rd runner-up and Andrea Reynolds, 24, Ms Kentucky, emerged the 4th runner- up.

The colourful, historic and memorable event attracted the high and the mighty of the Gambian society, including the First Lady of the Republic of the Gambia, Her Excellency Madam Zeinab Jammeh, the Vice President of The Gambia, Dr. Aja Isatou Njie Saidy, several Secretaries of State, parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic community, tourists and friends of The Gambia.

Speaking to the press contingent shortly after the event, the ebullient and self-assured Ms Kalilah Harris said that she is profoundly delighted to win the keenly-contested pageant. She commended the Gambian leader for making the event a thundering success.  She therefore expressed her satisfaction with the hospitality accorded them by their Gambian hosts.

On her main goal during her reign as Miss Black USA, Ms Kalilah Harris said that she would dedicate herself to helping diabetics around the world, inspired as she is by the fact that she is afflicted with the condition.