Anita Bryant, a controversial figure whose life journey included beauty pageant wins, chart-topping music hits, and anti-LGBTQ activism, passed away on December 16, 2024, at her residence in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Born in 1940, Bryant was 84 years old at the time of her death. The family confirmed the cause of death as cancer in an announcement published in The Oklahoman.
Bryant’s career in the public eye began early on. She was a child performer in Oklahoma, hosting her own local television show when she was just 12 years old. After earning the title of Miss Oklahoma in 1958, Bryant embarked on a successful singing career. Her hits included “Till There Was You,” “Paper Roses,” and “My Little Corner of the World.” Her music often reflected her Christian beliefs and she received three Grammy nominations for best sacred performance and best spiritual performance.
As the 1960s drew to a close, Bryant had established herself as a well-known figure in the entertainment industry. She toured with comedian Bob Hope to perform for US troops overseas and sang at both the Democratic and Republican national conventions in 1968. Bryant’s fame peaked as the face of Florida orange juice, where she delivered the famous line, “A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”
Her wide-ranging appeal was further illustrated as she performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s graveside.
In 1977, however, Bryant’s image underwent a major shift when she spearheaded the “Save Our Children” campaign, aiming to overturn an anti-discrimination ordinance in Miami-Dade County, Florida. With the support of Reverend Jerry Falwell, Bryant publicly voiced her opposition to gay rights nationwide. As LGBTQ+ activist and board member of Safe Schools South Florida, Tom Lander, put it, “She won the campaign, but she lost the battle in time.”
The backlash to Bryant’s campaign was immediate and substantial. Activists launched boycotts against the products she promoted, created merchandise to mock her, and even concocted a drink named after her – a screwdriver with apple juice replacing orange juice. During a public appearance in Iowa, an activist threw a pie in Bryant’s face.
This controversy took a toll on her entertainment career. Bryant lost her contract with the Florida Citrus Commission, saw a downturn in concert bookings, and eventually declared bankruptcy. Her personal life was also affected as her marriage to Bob Green ended in divorce.
In 1998, the Miami-Dade County ordinance that Bryant had fought to repeal was reinstated. Bryant spent her later years in Oklahoma, heading Anita Bryant Ministries International. Her second husband, NASA test astronaut Charles Hobson Dry, predeceased her, passing away in April 2024.
Bryant is survived by four children, two stepdaughters, and seven grandchildren.