Anita Bryant passed away at the age of 84 on December 16, 2024, in her Edmond, Oklahoma, residence, leaving a legacy that ranges from musical stardom to contentious political activism. Her family confirmed her passing from cancer via The Oklahoman.
Bryant’s career began in Oklahoma as a child entertainer, where she hosted a local television show at just twelve years old. She was crowned Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and soon after embarked on a prosperous music career. Her hit songs include “Till There Was You,” “Paper Roses,” and “My Little Corner of the World.” Her Christian faith was a prominent theme in her music, leading to three Grammy nominations—one for best spiritual performance and two for best sacred performance.
By the late 1960s, Bryant emerged as a significant figure in the entertainment industry, accompanying comedian Bob Hope on USO tours for overseas troops and gracing the White House with her performances. In 1968, she performed at both Democratic and Republican national conventions. She also served as the face of Florida orange juice, famously proclaiming, “A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”
She showcased her national appeal by performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s graveside.
In 1977, Bryant became a controversial figure when she spearheaded the “Save Our Children” campaign, aiming to overturn an anti-discrimination ordinance in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Backed by Reverend Jerry Falwell, she actively campaigned against gay rights. LGBTQ+ activist and Safe Schools South Florida board member Tom Lander remarked on her efforts, “She won the campaign, but she lost the battle in time.”
The fallout was substantial. Activists launched boycotts against products she endorsed, produced merchandise ridiculing her, and named an apple juice-based screwdriver variant after her. During a public event in Iowa, an activist pied her.
The controversy took a toll on Bryant’s career in entertainment. She lost her contract with the Florida Citrus Commission, concert bookings dwindled, and she eventually filed for bankruptcy. Her marriage to her first husband, Bob Green, also ended in divorce.
In 1998, the Miami-Dade County ordinance she had campaigned 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 in April 2024.
Bryant is survived by four children, two stepdaughters, and seven grandchildren.
