"1955 Miss SUI was black coed," October 10, 1968

1955 Miss SUI Was Black Coed “Black is beautiful” is the rallying cry of the Afro-American Student Association this year, as its members have selected their own Homecoming queen in competition with the official Miss U of I pageant sponsored by the Homecoming Committee. But, although there were no black coeds included in this year’s official Homecoming Queen contest, black coeds have participated in the past. And, in act, the University once had an official black queen. In 1955 Dora Lee Martin, a black freshmen from Houston, Tex., was elected Miss SUI by a vote of male students enrolled at the University. At the time the University was known as the State University of Iowa, or SUI. That year no Homecoming queen was chosen at the University and Miss SUI was the 1955 equivalent of the 1968 Homecoming queen. The election occurred in early December and Miss SUI reigned over the Winter Ball. The selection of Miss Martin as Miss SUI caused quite a stir not only on campus but across the nation. According to a 1955 edition of The Daily Iowan, both the New York World-Telegram and New York Sun newspapers carried front page stories on the election. The Chicago Tribune telephoned Miss Martin at 3 a.m. the morning after she was crowned and asked her feelings about being elected. Miss Martin, representing Currier Dormitory, was picked over 28 other girls competing for the title. The selection of Miss SUI was based on personality and performance and a talent program was part of the competition. Miss Martin was reported by The Daily Iowan to have “brought down the house” with her rendition of “The Yellow Rose of Texas” in performance in the Union. On the day following her selection, Miss Martin was served breakfast in bed by her Currier roommates and large banners announcing her election were strung across the dormitory, The Daily Iowan reported. DORA LEE MARTIN 1955 Miss SUI University of Iowa Libraries. University Archives