Bess Myerson Biography Quotes 2 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Bess Myerson was born on July 16, 1924, in the Bronx, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents who had come to the United States seeking stability and opportunity. She grew up in a working-class household where education, music, and civic responsibility were emphasized. Tall, poised, and musically gifted, she studied piano seriously and attended Hunter College in New York City, where her musical training deepened and her confidence in public performance took root. Friends and mentors from those years encouraged her to enter scholarship competitions, which in the 1940s often intertwined with beauty contests that offered tuition awards. The practical need to fund her education opened a path that would change her life and her public role in America.

Breakthrough as Miss America
In 1945 Myerson won the Miss New York City title and went on to be crowned Miss America, becoming the first Jewish woman to hold the title. At a time when antisemitism was still common in American life, her victory resonated far beyond the pageant stage. When pageant executive Lenora Slaughter and others suggested she change her name to something less identifiably Jewish, she refused, believing that her visibility could challenge prejudice rather than conform to it. During the customary post-pageant tour, she encountered hotels, clubs, and sponsors that excluded Jews. She canceled appearances rather than comply with discriminatory demands and soon partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to deliver a lecture program, often titled You Can't Be Beautiful and Hate. Those appearances turned her crown into an instrument of advocacy and introduced her to civic leaders who would later be important in her public-service career.

Television and Public Profile
After her year as Miss America, Myerson transitioned to broadcasting and public appearances. She became a familiar face on early American television, notably as a panelist on the long-running game show I've Got a Secret, where her quick wit and poise helped broaden her appeal beyond pageant audiences. Producers, hosts, and fellow panelists admired her combination of glamour and intelligence, and she made frequent guest appearances on other programs, variety specials, and public-service broadcasts. These years cemented her status as a symbol of modern American womanhood: educated, articulate, and engaged with civic issues. She also remained connected to the Miss America Organization as a judge and adviser, mentoring contestants and urging pageants to elevate scholarship and talent.

Public Service in New York City
Myerson's most consequential work unfolded in municipal government. In 1969, New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay appointed her Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs. She brought star power to consumer protection, but also a diligent manager's approach to policy. Under her leadership, the department championed truth-in-pricing, unit pricing, open dating on perishable goods, and enforcement actions against deceptive advertising. Myerson became a popular advocate for ordinary shoppers, speaking at community meetings and working closely with neighborhood leaders, civic associations, and legal advisers to frame practical protections. Years later she returned to city service in the administration of Mayor Edward I. Koch, a political ally and close friend whose campaigns she supported and with whom she often appeared at public events. In 1983, Koch appointed her Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, entrusting her with grants, programming, and the stewardship of the city's cultural institutions.

Political Campaigns
Myerson's public profile encouraged her to run for elective office. In 1980 she sought the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate from New York. It was a crowded and competitive field that included prominent figures such as Elizabeth Holtzman and John V. Lindsay. Myerson campaigned on consumer protection, urban revitalization, and cultural investment, drawing on her administrative record. Although she did not win the nomination, the campaign extended her network among labor leaders, community organizers, and arts advocates, and it cemented her reputation as a serious policy voice rather than a celebrity candidate.

The 1980s Scandal and Trial
Myerson's public life was profoundly shaken in the mid-1980s by a criminal investigation tied to her relationship with contractor Carl Andrew Capasso. Prosecutors alleged that Myerson, while serving as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, improperly influenced a matrimonial case involving Capasso by hiring Sukhreet Gabel, the daughter of New York State Supreme Court Justice Hortense Gabel. The case, widely covered in the press and nicknamed the "Bess Mess", ensnared all the principals in a swirl of accusations about favoritism, gifts, and influence. In court, Myerson and Justice Gabel maintained their innocence. After a highly publicized trial, Myerson was acquitted, as was Justice Gabel. Despite the acquittals, the episode damaged Myerson's standing, led to her resignation from city government, and ended realistic prospects for further political office. The scandal also strained relationships she had built over decades, including ties within the Koch administration and among arts administrators who had once been some of her strongest allies.

Personal Life
Myerson married twice. Her first marriage, to Allan Wayne, began shortly after her Miss America reign and produced a daughter, Barbara (later known professionally as Barra Grant), who would become a writer and performer. After their divorce, Myerson married Arnold Grant; the marriage ended several years later. Throughout her life she remained closely connected to her daughter, who has spoken and written about their complex, loving relationship and about the contradictions of growing up with a mother who was both a national icon and a scrutinized public official. Myerson's circle included political figures such as Mayor John V. Lindsay and Mayor Edward I. Koch, legal and cultural colleagues, and fellow advocates in organizations like the Anti-Defamation League. Friends and family have recalled her as fiercely loyal, driven, and resilient, even as public controversies made private life difficult.

Later Years and Legacy
Following the trial, Myerson largely withdrew from public life. She appeared less frequently on television and stepped away from city government and electoral politics, spending more time with family and close friends. In later years, she lived in California near her daughter, protecting her privacy after decades in the spotlight. Bess Myerson died on December 14, 2014, in Santa Monica, at the age of 90.

Myerson's legacy is a study in contrasts and influence. As the first Jewish Miss America, she became a symbol of inclusion at a pivotal moment in American life, and her refusal to hide her identity gave courage to others facing bias. As a consumer advocate, she brought clarity and vigor to municipal protections that affected millions of residents at the checkout counter. As a commissioner and cultural leader, she helped channel public money and attention to the arts. The scandal that engulfed her in the 1980s narrowed her public role, yet it did not erase earlier achievements or the impact she had on those she mentored and served. The people who figured prominently in her story, mentors like Lenora Slaughter who unwittingly framed her early defiance, political allies like John V. Lindsay and Edward I. Koch, adversaries and allies in the courtroom such as Hortense and Sukhreet Gabel, and family members from Allan Wayne to Barra Grant, shaped a life lived in full view of a changing nation.

Our collection contains 2 quotes who is written by Bess, under the main topics: Justice - Heartbreak.

Other people realated to Bess: Ed Koch (Politician)