Miss D.C. Deshauna Barber Crowned Miss USA [Photos]

For over sixty years, the Miss USA beauty pageant has become one of the world’s most-viewed televised events . On Sunday (June 5), Miss District of Columbia Deshauna Barber was awarded the title of Miss USA in Las Vegas, and will represent the country in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.

Barber, an Army brat native of Columbus, Ga., moved about the country with her military family before officially settling in the nation’s capital after college.

Far more than just a pretty face, the 26-year-0ld Barber also serves, and is an United States Army officer. Barber is also an IT analyst with the U.S. Department of Commerce and is a logistics commander with the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Maryland’s Fort Meade.

Barber’s win marks the first time in 14 years a contestant representing the District of Columbia has won the title of Miss USA. Barber is just the third Miss DC to win the coveted crown. Barber is also the eighth African-American woman to win the title. She was crowned Miss DC in 2015.

This was also the first year that the Miss USA contest aired on the Fox network.