MJP –
Distinguished Young Woman and other sources confirm that Tyrenda Williams-Reed, who represented Alabama as Junior Miss in 1997 and became the first Black woman to win the pageant, has passed away.
2010 saw the transformation of the Mobile-based scholarship program America’s Junior Miss into Distinguished Young Women. The news of Williams-Reed’s passing was announced by the group on Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, the organization expressed its sadness over the unexpected passing of Tyrenda Williams-Reed, their national representative for 1997. During this difficult moment, our hearts go out to her loved ones. Tyrenda was an inspiration to many people with her kindness, wisdom, and poise; she was more than simply a titleholder.
Tyrenda’s kindness and contagious enthusiasm will always be remembered. Let us rejoice in Tyrenda’s lasting influence and the legacy she left behind as we remember her incredible journey. Even though she was only here for a short while, we will carry her legacy with us always.
In a tweet shared on Thursday, the Distinguished Young Women of Alabama State Committee expressed their profound sadness over Tyrenda’s passing.
They noted that her optimistic attitude, passion, and dedication had a lasting impact on everyone she met. While we grieve her loss, we rejoice in the dedication, generosity, and brilliance that she has left behind. During this trying time, our hearts go out to her loved ones. She is deeply regretted and will be remembered forever.
It was announced Monday by a funeral parlor in Florida that Williams-Reed had passed away. No information on the circumstances was made public. No arrangements have been announced as of Thursday afternoon’s early hours.
Reports from the Press-Register and the Birmingham News indicate that in June 1997, Tyrenda Williams was crowned America’s Junior Miss during the 40th AJM finals. during the time, she had just graduated from Vestavia Hills High School. She held several positions throughout her time at Vestavia Hills, including homecoming queen, student government representative, debate team secretary, and National Honor Society secretary. Her mom, Jerona Williams, taught high school, and her dad, Tyrone Williams, was a middle school principal. She danced to “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin as part of her competitive routine.
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For the program, her victory was monumental. Three Black council members in Mobile, Alabama, temporarily cut off financing for America’s Junior Miss in the early 1990s because the pageant lacked diversity.
Even though she was named “Black Junior Miss,” she expressed her desire to be remembered more as an ambassador for the program’s values after her victory.
What makes it important, in her opinion, is that it will inspire others who seek out an exemplar who shares their values and interests. What matters more, though, is that I was myself—not that I happen to be a Black American who earned this title. Be the best version of yourself; that’s the lesson Junior Miss gives us.
Along with Stephanie Ashmore in 1983, Williams became the second contender from Alabama to be awarded America’s Junior Miss.
Her academic and professional biographies indicate that she attended Birmingham-Southern College for her bachelor’s degree and was a sorority member of Alpha Omicron Pi. She then attended New York University for her master’s degree in journalism and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She was a visiting professor of English and American culture at a Hungarian university in 2001 and was named one of the “Women to Watch” by the Birmingham Business Journal in 2016.
She maintained her involvement with scholarship and beauty pageant events, and she was a judge for Miss Alabama as late as 2021.
Her ties to Southern and Birmingham were very important to her. She expressed her sorrow about the school’s closing in a LinkedIn post made earlier this year. Thankfully, she noted, “my faith does not require my understanding,” referring to one of the numerous things she learned at BSC.
Knowing the ending of the Easter narrative gives me comfort, yet I also understand that the divine plan for BSC has only just started. The legacy of BSC as a community and college without boundaries is starting to become clear, and we will soon learn about a church without walls. Thanks to these modern-day disciples, my life was transformed and rescued. The list of people who deserve our gratitude is endless: friends, presidents, professors, lunchroom ladies, mailroom clerks, and the personnel of the alumni office.
Cobbs Allen, America’s Thrift Stores, and the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club were among the organizations for which Williams-Reed had previously worked in human resources and communications. Additionally, she has experience as a real estate agent, having worked in the Birmingham and Naples, Florida, areas in recent years. The Alabama chapter of the Public Relations Society of America was another organization in which she was active.
Experienced AJM judge John Laskow also paid praise to Williams-Reed.
“I had the privilege of being a part of the Judging Panel during her preliminary competition for Miss Alabama,” Laskow wrote on Facebook. He had been a judge for over 40 years when he said, “Tyrenda had the BEST INTERVIEW that I’ve ever conducted!” This young woman is just remarkable!
