‘Women in transit:’ Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association brings back Miss Subways
In the New York Transit Museum, nestled underground on the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, headed by Appellate Division Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix, held its Women’s Month Celebration on Tuesday.
As one walks through the museum, relics of New York’s rapid-transit past are adorned on the walls and multimedia displays. Old turnstiles and iconic signs greet you at every turn. One may forget the impact that women have had on New York’s transit system. That is — until you walk past the images of the Miss Subways.
From 1941 to 1976, the transit system ran the “Miss Subways” beauty contest as an advertising campaign. The main requirements were that the candidate live in New York and ride the subways. The women chosen were often working women or students.