Alysha Noel Harris is a beauty queen from La Grange, Kentucky

La Grange, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,676 people, 2,216 households, and 1,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,514.8 people per square mile . There were 2,330 housing units at an average density of 621.8 per square mile...

 who competed in the Miss USA

Miss USA

The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...

 pageant in 2008.

Harris won the Miss Kentucky USA

Miss Kentucky USA

The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs...

 2008 title in a state pageant held in Somerset, Kentucky in January 2008 and was crowned by Michelle Banzer

Michelle Banzer

Michelle Stephanie Banzer also known as Michelle Zen is a model and beauty queen from Louisville, Kentucky who competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2007....

, who held the Miss Kentucky USA 2007 title. This was Harris's first attempt at the title, as well as her first pageant ever. Harris is bi-racial, half black and white, making her the first African American to win the state pageant.

Harris represented Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

 in the Miss USA 2008 pageant that was held in the spring of 2008 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino

Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...

 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

. Her sister titleholder is Shannen Reil, Miss Kentucky Teen USA

Miss Kentucky Teen USA

The Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...

2008.