Donna Axum (January 3, 1942 – November 4, 2018) was an American beauty pageant winner, author, television executive producer, philanthropist and model. She was crowned Miss America in 1964. One month earlier she had been crowned Miss Arkansas. After her Miss America win, Axum taught classes at Texas Tech University and worked in television such as starring on The Noon Show and Good Morning Arkansas. Aside from Miss America, Axum was an active civic leader as she served on the National Committee for the Performing Arts of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. after being nominated by President Bill Clinton, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Van Cliburn Foundation and Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors. Early life Axum was born in El Dorado, Arkansas to Hurley B. Axum, a banker, and Idelle Axum (). She had French, Dutch and Irish ancestors. Axum has a sister, Mona. In 1959, Axum graduated from El Dorado High School. Education Axum's Miss America scholarship was used to complete her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in speech/drama, television and film. While there, she was a member of the Delta Iota chapter of Delta Delta Delta. Career Early pageants In 1958, during Axum's high school senior year, she won the beauty pageant title for Miss Union County. She secured titles as the 1960 Arkansas Miss Hospitality, 1961 Arkansas Forest Queen, and the 1962 National Cotton Picking Queen. Miss Arkansas Before 1963, Axum first competed for Miss Arkansas before 1963, but was unsuccessful. In 1963, before her final year at the University of Arkansas, Axum became a contestant again and won the 1963 beauty pageant title as Miss Arkansas. Miss America 1964 Axum won the Miss America 1964 pageant about a month later. Axum become the first of only three Arkansans to win the title. The other two are Elizabeth Ward (1981) and Savvy Shields (2016). Axum traveled over 250,000 miles (400,000 km) representing the state and nation as Miss America at events. Communications and entertainment Axum held many titles after serving as Miss America: university instructor, author, television executive producer, TV hostess, professional speaker and civic leader. In 1988, Axum was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Arkansas and served on its National Development Council. She also served on the steering committee of a seven-year capital campaign that raised more