Joliet pageant for Black girls returns after 15-year hiatus

Reyna Slater, 7, of Shorewood recently was crowned queen at her very first pageant.

“I was so surprised when I won,” Reyna said. “It blew my mind.”

More than 700 people attended the newly revived Little Miss Black Joliet pageant Nov. 18 in the auditorium at Joliet West High School, said Arnetta Bosby, treasurer of the pageant committee.

“It was fun hearing the children say, ‘Next time, I’m going to win,’ ” Bosby said. “We know we did a good job because they want to return.”

Former Joliet resident LaTonya Warren of Plano, the pageant’s coordinator, said she loved how the children “took their roles to heart.”

“It was so rewarding to see their excitement,” Warren said.

The Little Miss Black Joliet pageant began in 1983 and continued until 2008, Warren said.

The late Thelmon Page of Joliet, the pageant’s previous coordinator, said in 2007 that the late Robert Johnson of Joliet founded the pageant as a way for young Black girls to develop poise and to showcase their talents.

“He had a dream for little Black girls, and it is still special and relevant today,” Page said in 2007. “I think it gives children something to look forward to. A lot of the times they start out shy, but by the night of the show, they’re just worked up to perform. We’ve had a lot of our contestants go on to compete in other pageants.”

During practice she was crying because she was nervous. But on the day of the show, she did everything perfectly.”

—  LaTashia Silas of Shorewood, mother of pageant winner Reyna Slater

This year’s Little Miss Black Joliet pageant followed a similar format. Girls ages 6 to 11 competed for the title of queen. Seven girls entered this year, the same number in 2007, the pageant’s 25th year.

Girls ages 4 and 5 participated as special little girls. Boys ages 6 to 11 participated as escorts. Special little girls and escorts do not compete.

In all pageants, contestants competed in three categories: active wear, talent and question, and projection. The main difference was digital ads and registration, instead of paper registration and paper ad books, Bosby said.

The entry fee was $200, and the sponsorship fee was $250, Bosby said. In 2007, the entry fee was $100, and all contestants had to sell a minimum of $500 in ads.

Page previously said the goal was to keep the pageant affordable for families.

“Our entry fee is really, really cheap,” Bosby said. “Some pageants fees – entry fee – are $500 to $700 for one contestant. And that is coming from the parents, not the sponsors.”

In 2007, contestants received a $500 savings bond and a $50 mall certificate. This year, they received swag bags and gift cards. Reyna, as queen, received a number of prizes, including a 75-piece Barbie dollhouse, a Chromebook and a $50 gift card, Warren said.

Reyna’s mother, LaTashia Silas of Shorewood, saw on social media that the pageant was returning and planned to attend with Reyna.

Silas said that, as a child, she had enjoyed watching her friend compete. She thought Reyna might enjoy it.

But Reyna didn’t want to attend. She wanted to compete. So Silas said she told Reyna what competing entailed.

“I said she could meet friends and learn to interact with people and in front of an audience, how to speak and how to carry herself like a lady, and how it was part of our culture and part of our growing up,” Silas said.

Silas said she kept Reyna’s expectations about winning realistic. She let Reyna know she was a winner for participating, but only one girl would receive a crown. That girl mostly likely wouldn’t be Reyna, since she had no pageant experience, Silas said.

“She was very surprised she had won,” Silas said.

Before the pageant, Reyna worked with a choreographer on a dance routine, Silas said. Reyna also learned to speak calmly and clearly before an audience, tame anxiety, and walk and curtsey while wearing “a big wide dress.”

“She’s better than I thought,’” Silas said, relaying what she thought during rehearsals. “But my biggest surprise came with her youngest sister.”

Silas said she also entered her younger daughter, Skylar Slater, 4, as a special little girl because Skylar is a “mama’s girl” and always “glued to my side.”

“I was hoping it would open her up,” Silas said. “And it did.”

Special little girls didn’t perform, Silas said.

“But she did have to stay, ‘My name is Skylar Slater, and I’m 4 years old. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,’ ” Silas said. “And she had three outfit changes.”

Silas said the pageant boosted Reyna’s self-confidence, especially before an audience.

“During practice she was crying because she was nervous. But on the day of the show, she did everything perfectly,” Silas said. “Next year, she’ll get dressed up, go there and pass her crown to the next winner.”

Information for the 2024 pageant will be available in March, Bosby said. For more information and a list of past queens, visit lmbjoliet.org.