Alma Cooper made history earlier this year when she won the Miss USA crown. When she took the role, she was the first Afro-Latina ever to bear the title of Miss USA. On Saturday, she competed in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant, and for the costume competition, she became an embodiment of American iconography.

Discover the national costume of Alma Cooper, representative of the USA at Miss Universe 2024. We explain the meaning of her look.

It's Miss Universe Season! The "national costume" part of the Miss Universe pageant has, and will always be, my favorite part of the Miss Universe pageant. That's Canada. The United States has had quite the history of some interesting costumes over the years,

The "national costume" part of the Miss Universe pageant has, and will always be, my favorite part of the Miss Universe pageant. That's Canada.

Ancheta is the first woman to represent Cubans in 57 years, when Fidel Castro decided that Cuba would no longer participate in beauty contests. “That crown belongs to Cuba ,” promised Ancheta upon winning Miss Universe Cuba on Nov.