1999 Mpule Kwelagobe BOTSWANA

Trinidad and Tobago

1st runner-up     Miriam Quiambao PHILIPPINES 2nd runner-up     Diana Nogueria   SPAIN FINALISTS: Sonia Raciti   SOUTH AFRICA Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto   VENEZUELA SEMI-FINALISTS: Akuba Cudjoe   GHANA Gul Panag   INDIA Nicole Haughton   JAMAICA Silvia Salgado Cavazos   MEXICO Brenda Liz Lopez Ramos   PUERTO RICO

History was again definitely made this year! Mpule ws the  first black African to win the crown, the third Africa after Margaret Gardiner and Michelle McLean. Mpule and Wendy Fitzwilliam were the  first set of "black-to-black" winners. USA didn't make the semifinals, not since Barbara Peterson failed to make the cut in 1975. This pageant had the most delegates to attend up to present. Mpule was also the first delegate from her country to ever join the Miss Universe pageant. What a stroke of luck.  Mpule, however, was a non-finalist at the Miss World pageant 2 years earlier.

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