This Day in History: 7 November 1963 — Carole Joan Crawford Becomes Miss World

On this day in 1963, Jamaica’s own Carole Joan Crawford made history as she was crowned Miss World 1963 at the Lyceum Ballroom in London — becoming the first woman of African descent and the first Caribbean woman ever to win a major international beauty-pageant title.

A Landmark Victory for Jamaica and Beyond

The 13th edition of Miss World took place on 7 November 1963. Crawford, representing Jamaica just months after the island’s independence, stepped onto that global stage at age 20 and changed the narrative for women of colour in the pageant world.

Her victory resonated far beyond the crown. With the winds of decolonisation sweeping across the Caribbean, Africa and Asia in the early 1960s, Crawford’s win became symbolic of new possibilities — for individuals, for nations, for identities.

Defying Stereotypes: Size, Race & Representation

Despite standing just 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) — making her one of the shortest winners in Miss World history — Crawford showed extraordinary poise and presence. To enhance her stage presence during the swimsuit segment, she wore a specially-designed high-neck swimsuit.

In a time when beauty standards were narrowly defined, her win challenged those definitions. She broke barriers (and ceilings) for Black women in the pageant industry and beyond. As the Miss World organisation states: “she defied the odds, broke barriers, and inspired a generation.”

A Hero’s Welcome: National Pride in Jamaica

Her return to Jamaica was nothing short of spectacular. Thousands welcomed her at the airport; the government issued commemorative stamps bearing her image; and she was presented with the key to the city of Kingston.

These were not just ceremonial gestures — they were acknowledgments of how she had elevated Jamaican pride and given the nation a global platform. The timing could not have been more poignant: Jamaica had gained independence only a few months earlier (August 1962), and her success became part of the story of a young, ambitious nation.

Life After the Crown: Advocacy, Family & Legacy

Carole Joan Crawford eventually moved to Canada, becoming known as Carole Joan Crawford-Merkens. She dedicated much of her life to education, community development and the empowerment of young women — using her platform to amplify a message of possibility and representation.

On December 18 2024, at age 81, she passed away. Her son, Stephan Merkens, described her as “a devoted wife, mother and grandmother” whose warmth, humility and commitment defined her personal life as much as her public one.

Why This Day Matters to the Caribbean & the World

• Representation: Her win showed that success on the global stage was possible for Caribbean women and women of African descent in arenas historically dominated by non-Black, non-Caribbean contestants.

• Nation-building: For Jamaica, her crown became part of post-independence identity — an affirmation of talent, beauty and cultural richness.

• Inspiration: The legacy of Carole Joan Crawford paved the way for other Jamaican Miss World winners (such as Cindy Breakspeare in 1976, Lisa Hanna in 1993 and Toni‑Ann Singh in 2019).

A Lasting Legacy

Her story reminds us that barriers are meant to be broken — by vision, by courage, by presence. Today, as we look back on 7 November 1963, we honour not just a crown but a milestone: the moment when a Jamaican-born woman of colour stood proudly on a global stage and said: I belong here too.

Her legacy lives on — in the thousands of young women who see themselves in her story, in Jamaica’s proud cultural narrative, and in a world that continues to expand what beauty, representation and leadership can mean.

— Dante Jackson, Entertainment Editor, Caribbean eMagazine