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Miss Supranational 2018 - Grand Final

Source: Newspix.pl /WENN.com / WENN

Tennessee finally has a black pageant Queen. Brianna Mason made history when she was crowned Miss Tennessee over the weekend. It took 80 years for a black woman to get this title.

Mason, who hails from Nashville, said it was important to her to win this title so she could begin to pave the way for more black beauty queens in Tennessee.

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I can’t even put into words how special this is,” Mason said at a press conference. “I have been competing for so long, and there’s a Miss Tennessee room with portraits of all past Miss Tennessees, and none of them looked liked me. So I’ve made it my goal for the last couple of years to make sure my face gets up there not just for me, but for all of the young ladies who look like me and don’t think they can do it just because of their skin color.”

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Mason has been competing in pageants in Tennessee for the past four years. Last year she was second runner-up in the Miss Knoxville pageant.

Mason, a first grade school teacher, will now be on the way to the Miss America pageant. Mason joins the lineup of other current black beauty queens including Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst who is a civil litigation lawyer, Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris and Miss America Nia Franklin.

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Mason gave words of encouragement to those who may feel they can’t attain their dreams.

“I’m here to tell you that it does not matter what your skin color is. It does not matter what your religion is. You can do anything that you want.”

SEE ALSO: 3 Beauty Tips From Cynthia Bailey {VIDEO}

Now that she has the title of Miss Tennessee, she will be taking a year of leave from her job. Mason will also receive a $15,000 scholarship.

This story was originally posted on madamenoire.com.

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