42nd Miss Spelman College Featured on the Cover of EBONY Magazine’s ‘Styling the Yard’ Issue

Eight HBCU Students Champion Authenticity and Confidence in Interviews with EBONY

For EBONY Magazine’s October cover "Styling the Yard,” the magazine partnered with Mielle Organics to honor eight HBCU scholars and highlight Black excellence and innovation. Featuring 42nd Miss Spelman College Taylor Mills, C’2026, the cover centered student stylists and hair ambassadors whose innovation, hustle and artistry embody excellence, beauty and confidence.

In the accompanying digital article, EBONY contributor Blake Newby emphasized the significance of HBCUs as a safe haven where the authenticity of Black students exists as the standard. She added that this authenticity is often displayed in the many unique ways students choose to style their hair.  

“With a beaming energy and a voice that can be distinguished long before she even steps into the room, Taylor Mills, Miss Spelman College, possesses a presence that makes it abundantly clear why she’s the perfect selection for the role,” wrote Newby.

Mills, a theater and performance major, showcased her radiant personality through the way she unapologetically wears her natural hair in any space she inhabits. In her EBONY interview, she spoke about the importance of embracing her natural hair and the significance of attending an HBCU.

"I say HBCUs all day every day because it’s a place that’s nurturing to Black students like myself,” said Mills in her interview. “We’re given an education that is catered to Black students, which in this day and age is extremely important. We need to stick together so that we can continue to win together.”

During the 42nd Miss Spelman College pageant, Mills dawned her natural curls during the competition, a choice that emphasized community and acceptance and aligned with her platform ‘Authentically Blue – Your Authenticity is Your Superpower.’

I barely saw girls in pageants with their natural hair,” said Mills. “And I wanted to make sure I showed people that you don’t have to change. Girls told me they were inspired and motivated to wear their natural hair out, too, because I showed that you can be accepted regardless. I came to Spelman as my authentic self and I’ve made a promise to myself to keep it that way.”



Click here to read Mills’s full interview. Images by Martika Avalon for EBONY.