[2] Before the finals, Benham and second runner up Carmen McCollum shared victories of the talent and swimsuit preliminary trophies.
[1] Deborah Lipford, Miss Delaware, was the first black contestant to make it to the final 10, and only the sixth to win a state level Miss America contest.
[2] Benham became a singer, appearing often on the Crystal Cathedral religious-themed program Hour of Power.
Among the other contestants in 1977 was Miss Florida, actress Nancy Stafford, who would co-star with Andy Griffith 11 years later in the NBC TV series Matlock.
Preliminary Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award Semi-finalist at Miss USA 1975 Mother of Miss Kentucky 2002, Mary Catherine Correll