Cheryl Prewitt Salem

Cheryl Prewitt Salem is an American Christian evangelist, author, musician, and former beauty queen known for her work in faith-based ministry. She was crowned Miss America after winning Miss Mississippi, becoming a nationally recognized figure whose platform extended beyond the pageant stage. Prewitt Salem was the first Miss America to have a platform, using her reign to advocate for faith, healing, and personal resilience—central themes throughout her public life.

Prewitt Salem's journey to the Miss America crown was shaped by significant challenges. At age 11, she survived a serious car accident that resulted in a broken back, a crushed left leg that was left two inches shorter, and required more than 100 facial stitches. Doctors told her she might never walk again. She committed her life to Christ at age 14 during a revival, deepening her faith through Scripture study and earning the nickname preacher girl among her peers. Her reliance on prayer culminated in her teenage years with a reported miraculous lengthening of her leg by two inches during a high school healing service. Prewitt Salem later enrolled at Mississippi State University with a double major in piano and voice, performed with the Jackson Mississippi Symphony as a concert pianist and soloist, and ultimately won the Miss America title.

Music has been a cornerstone of Prewitt Salem's ministry and public identity. She had a strong religious upbringing and, at age five, played the piano by ear and sang at local revivals with her siblings in a group known as the Prewitt Children, later performing with the family gospel group The Prewitts. Her recordings received recognition within the gospel community, including co-hosting the Gospel Music Association's 16th Annual Dove Awards alongside Pat Boone, and several tracks achieved airplay on Christian radio charts. She has recorded several albums, including "Heaven on Earth," "Prophetic Healing Songs for the Broken Places," "The Holiest Place," and "Come Up Higher!" Prewitt Salem has produced numerous music CDs, with her worship music—particularly a series of prophetic CDs focused on healing and restoration—being among her most requested recordings. Her prophetic flowing style on both the keyboard and vocally, drawing from the Book of Revelation and the Book of Proverbs, is a hallmark of her music ministry.

Prewitt Salem has authored or co-authored more than 30 books, including Christian self-help guides and testimony-driven works published through Christian presses such as Harrison House and self-published via Salem Family Ministries. Among her notable works is "A Bright Shining Place," which recounts her life story and her journey to becoming Miss America. She and her husband, Harry Salem, have co-written 36 books, including titles such as "Mourning to Morning," "Entering Rest – Be Still," and "We Who Worship," which is designed to guide readers into a deeper level of purity and intimacy with God in worship. Other titles include "The Presence of Angels in Your Life," "You Are Somebody," and "An Angel's Touch."

Salem Family Ministries was co-founded by Prewitt Salem and Harry Salem, drawing on her background as a musician and public figure to emphasize family restoration and spiritual healing. Prewitt Salem speaks at churches, gatherings, and conferences worldwide, focusing on salvation and restoring worship in the church. Salem Family Ministries also presents the "We Who Worship Gathering" annually, a worship event that includes music, dance, art, musical theater, and drama. Prewitt Salem was inducted into the Mississippi State University Department of Music Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to music and ministry. Her life, marked by adversity, faith, and decades of public service, continues to impact audiences globally.