Capital queen

In a pageant marked by patriotic themes, the delegate from the District of Columbia won the Miss USA title on March 1, 2002.

Shauntay Hinton was crowned before an enthusiastic audience in Gary, Ind., in an event that was televised nationwide. It was the 51st staging of the Miss USA competition.

The first runner-up was Lindsay Douglas of Kansas, and the second runner-up was Kelly Lloyd of Indiana.

Miss Photogenic, chosen by visitors to the pageant Web site, was Shannon Ford of Florida. Meredith McCannel of Montana was chosen Miss Congeniality by fellow contestants.

Other semifinalists were Karla Cavalli of New York, Kasi Kelly of Texas, Tara Tucker of Alabama, Tarah Peters of California, Anne Katherine Lené of Louisiana, Janet Sutton of Rhode Island and Katherine Ashley Williams of South Carolina.

In a possible bid to inject controversy into the event, some women who did not make the semifinals complained on camera about the personalities of some who did. They did not name names, however.

Controversy continued after the pageant with a furor over why so many African-Americans had reached the Top 5. Click here for a PNB look at race and pageantry.