Contestants' intelligence, service focus of pageant

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. will present the 1999 Miss Black Penn State Pageant at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Schwab Auditorium.

This program is held during Black History Month to show the positive side of African-American women on campus, Eric Pratt (senior-business logistics and international business) said.

Pratt, a member of the fraternity and coordinator for the event, added contestants are not judged based on beauty, but on intelligence, community service and academic performance.

Miss Black Penn State 1998 Lurie Daniel (senior-African and African-American studies) also stressed the different focus of the pageant.

"The pageant is not about beauty, it is about culture. This is one of the few times that black women have to share their positive energy with the community," she said.

With Black History Month being celebrated through poetry, music and informational lectures, the pageant could be seen as a finale.

"This is one final event to end the month," Pratt said.

--by Amy Menefee