… The most beautiful black woman, the best city for blacks, the hottest entertainers… - Annual Readers Poll

Ebony, April, 1992

A TV mother with class and style and an ageless mother with five grandchildren ended up in a virtual tie in balloting for the most beautiful Black woman in America.

The readers who responded to the annual EBONY poll-the votes were tabulated by the authoritative Market Facts research agency-scattered their votes on some 20 candidates, including a large number of individual wives and sweethcarts, but the top vote-getter was Phylicia Rashad (13.8 percent), followed closely (13.5 percent) by the legendary beauty and grandmother, Lena Horne.

On another level, an unusually high percentage-73.3 percent-said they had personally experienced racism in the last 12 months. And 21.6 percent of women respondents said they had been sexually abused as a child.

There were no major surprises in the entertainment categories with perennial favorites, Bill Cosby and Oprah Winfrey, winning applause as the favorite male and female TV stars, respectively. Luther Vandross was selected as the favorite entertainer in a category characterized by votes for a large number of candidates.

The major surprises came in the race relations categories with 36.7 percent saying that the quality of life for AfricanAmericans is better in the South 36.7 percent) than in the North (19.6 percent). Interestingly and significantly, the overwhelming choice for the best American city for Blacks is Atlanta (59.1 percent), compared with New York (5.6 percent) and Chicago (5.04 percent).

The recession is apparently having a devastating effect on Black Americans. Most respondents say they are experiencing increasing difficulty making ends meet, and many (19.8 percent) say someone in their family has lost a job or they (7.5 percent) have lost a job. The feeling was almost unanimous (96.7 percent) that President Bush needs to take more vigorous efforts to fight the recession, and 82.9 percent give the president a poor or very poor rating on his performance on issues of vital importance to Blacks.

As for the presidential campaign, most of the respondents like noncandiate Mario Cuomo (32.3 percent), followed by George Bush 11.3 percent) and Bill Clinton (10.3 percent). The votes were cast in january. In view of the midespread White media focus on Black conservatives, it is interesting to note that respondents overwhelmingly (71.8 percent) rejected the Black conservative position.

As for sexual harassment, 39.1 percent of the female respondents say they have been sexually harassed at work, but a majority (60.9 percent) say they have not experienced work-related sexual harassment.

A more detailed accounting of poll results follows.

1. The most beautiful woman in Black America is Phylicia Rashad. The sophisticated mom of The Cosby Show earned 13.8 percent of the vote. Timeless beauty Lena Horne was a close second (13.5 percent), followed by janet jackson (7.2 percent) and Anita Baker (6.8 percent). The largest number of readers selected a special woman in their own lives (16.7 percent).

2. Black men who wear ponytails are independent (43.2 percent), bold (25.7 percent), weird (19.4 percent) or effeminate (8.2 percent).

3. Black-white dating bothers 31.5 percent of the respondents. More than half of the readers (59.5 percent) say it does not bother them.

4. The favorite female TV star is Oprah Winfrey (28.1 percent). Actress Phylicia Rashad (25.7 percent) and A Different World star jasmine Guy 21.3 percent) ran a close second and third, respectively.

5. The favorite male TV star is Bill Cosby (29.9 percent), America's favorite TV dad. Distinguished actor James Earl jones placed second in the balloting (19.3 percent) followed by Will (Fresh

6. The No. 1 TV program is A Different World (28.3 percent), the sitcom about life at a fictitious Black college campus. The Cosby Show (22.1 percent) and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 21.8 percent) also were among readers favorites.

7. The most admired Black man is Bill Cosby (26.6 percent) followed by jesse jackson (19.7 percent) and Gen. Colin L. Powell (19.2 percent).

8. The most admired Black woman is Oprah Winfrey (34 percent). Coretta Scott King earned 18.9 percent of the ballots, followed by Whoopi Goldberg with 17.1 percent.

9. The man most female respondents would like to spend an evening with is Denzel Washington (30.1 percent). The Osear-winning actor was slightly ahead of the large number of "other" votes (28.5 percent) and Wesley Snipes (17.8 percent).

10. The woman most male readers would like to spend an evening with is Anita Baker (13 percent). Tina Turner was voted a close second (12.6 percent). However, most Black male readers prefer to spend an evening with a special woman they know (38.3 percent).

11. The White American EBONY readers admire most is former President jimmy Carter (35.1 percent). "Other" was second with (23.9 percent), followed by first lady Barbara Bush (10.3 percent). George Bush was last in the balloting with (2.5 percent).

12. The best Black movie of the year was john Singleton's Boyz N The Hood, according to 32.8 percent of the respondents. In second place was Mario Van Peebles' New jack City (19.9 percent), followed by Spike Lee's jungle Fever (14.9 percent).