Justus Kelley Made Miss USA History By Becoming The Queen Black Women Have Always Been: Unapologetically Herself
Representing Virginia, 31-year-old Justus Kelley made history snatching the title of Miss USA 2026. She is the first married woman, first mother, and first woman over 30 to win the national title.
We are hearing it more and more: life does not end at 30. And for many women, that is when things are just getting good.
We are rewriting the rules, changing the timelines, and deciding for ourselves what comes next in our lives. We are changing careers, having children when we want, getting married when we want, and going after any and all opportunities that may not have been available to women before us.
Now, we can add winning Miss USA to the list. Meet Justus Kelley.
The 31-year-old made history last night, August 27, snatching the title of Miss USA 2026. Representing Virginia, she is the first married woman, first mother, and first woman over 30 to win the national title.
Don’t you love seeing Black women change the game?
Miss USA began allowing married women and mothers to compete in 2023. The pageant opened eligibility to all women 18 and older in 2024. Before that, contestants aged out at 28.
During the final question portion of the competition, Justus touched on this. She spoke about being 31, married to her college sweetheart, and raising two foster siblings while continuing to pursue her own goals.
“What my year as Miss USA would mean and look like is no longer questioning if we have to choose between our ambitious careers, our families, and our wildest dreams,” she told the audience “I’m standing on this stage embracing every part of who I am, and I believe that I can be your next Miss USA.”
She also reportedly addressed her history-making win at a press conference after the pageant, saying it was “a huge honor.” She continued, “I look at this like a responsibility to know that I was trusted to be the first.”
Who Is Justus Kelly, The New Miss USA
While Justus represented Virginia, she is originally from Indianapolis.
She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University, with studies centered on community and public health. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Justus now works as a senior philanthropic adviser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Justus and her husband, Tyler Kelley, are also licensed foster parents. They currently care for siblings and have welcomed children ranging in age from infancy to 10 into their home.
Justus also founded Foster Footprints to support foster youth and families in the DMV.
Before traveling to Miss USA, she packed some of her belongings in trash bags to spotlight a reality many foster children face when entering a new home. “A trash bag should never be a child’s suitcase,” she told People.
And while she can absolutely pull off a pageant gown, Justus has also talked openly about thrifting her wardrobe. She wore secondhand pieces during the competition and has used her fashion choices to push back on the idea that pageantry has to come with a giant price tag.
Carole Gist became the first Black woman to win Miss USA in 1990. Kenya Moore followed in 1993, becoming the second.
Since then, Black women have continued showing up in this space with different stories, backgrounds, and definitions of beauty. Black queens have always changed conversations, inspired generations, and pushed culture forward. Now it’s Justus’ turn – and we are rooting for her!
