Â鶹Éç

For the first time ever, all three winners of America's biggest beauty pageants are black women.

In the past, pageants have been criticised for not reflecting a diverse range of women.

Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA have all been described as "trailblazing" women by a top American politician.

Senator Kamala Harris, who is hoping to become US President in 2020, said: "What a tremendous moment for these young, successful women making their own path, on their own terms."

Nia Franklin, who is 25, became Miss America in September.

She is an opera singer from New York, who also works with for a charity helping people discover music, dance and art.

Kaliegh Garris is Miss Teen USA and was crowned last week.

The 18-year-old from Connecticut, who was celebrated for embracing her natural curly hair, hopes to become a nurse in the future.

Cheslie Kryst, who is 28 from North Carolina, was named Miss USA last week.

In her acceptance speech, she said: "Mine is the first generation to have that forward-looking mindset that has inclusivity, diversity, strength and empowered women."

As well as working as a lawyer, she works for free helping people in prison who have been given unfair sentences. She will now represent the US in the Miss Universe pageant.

The Miss America beauty pageant has been around for almost 100 years. Miss USA began in 1950 and Miss Teen USA in 1983.

Contestants are often young women with a passion for helping others. They also have to show they have a talent - for example singing, dancing or martial arts.

Pageants have been criticised in the past for judging women on how they look.

Some people believe they hold up unrealistic beauty standards and are sexist.

The Miss America Organization announced in June 2018 that this year's competition would not include the swimwear section. It said that it will no longer judge women on their "outward physical appearance".

Gretchen Carlson, the group's head, explained: "Miss America will represent a new generation of female leaders focused on scholarship, social impact, talent and empowerment."

Until the 1940s, Miss America stopped women not of "the white race" from participating, and even after they changed the rules, a black woman did not participate in the competition until 1970.

In 1968, black women held the first Miss Black America pageant to protest against racist standards.

The first black winner of Miss America was Vanessa Williams in 1983.