nytimes July 9, 2021 10:00am Zaila Avant-garde Makes Spelling Bee History #spelling #scrippsnationalspellingbee #zailaavantgarde #louisiana #neworleansla #news Zaila Avant-garde Makes Spelling History, and Other Moments From the Bee Zaila, a 14-year-old from Harvey, La., won on the word “Murraya.” She became the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in almost 100 years of contests.