On October 13, Courtney Pearson made history. The 21 year-old is the first African American woman to be crowned as homecoming queen at the University of Mississippi. Pearson who won by only 110 votes, acknowledges that she does not fit the aesthetic stereotype. This is a milestone especially given the ugly comments that you will find posted to the online articles covering this story.

Pearson is excited to be an inspiration not only to young girls (she has a young sister) but to the elderly who can recall the university’s recent past. The University of Mississippi enrolled its first African American student only 50 years ago which was met with violent riots.

Pearson is a secondary English education major and plans to be a teacher. She serves on student government, is the university’s judicial chair, freshman orientation coordinator…the list goes on.

[To the right: Courtney’s father escorts her across the field.]