Vanessa Williams Miss America 1984

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop R-and-B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal caused her to relinquish her title early and she was succeeded by the first runner-up, Suzette Charles of New Jersey, who was also African-American. Williams rebounded by launching a career as an entertainer, earning multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominations.

Williams competed in the Miss Syracuse Pageant when a campus musical she was in was canceled in 1983. After winning the Miss Syracuse title, Williams won the Miss New York crown in 1983, and went on to compete for Miss America at the national pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Prior to the final night of competition, Williams won both preliminary competitions - Talent and Swimsuit - earlier in the week. She was crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983.

Due to scandalous photos that were published of Williams, and sponsors threatening to pull out of the upcoming 1985 Miss America pageant, Williams felt pressured by the Miss America Pageant officials to resign, and did so in a press conference on July 23, 1984. The title subsequently went to the first runner-up, Suzette Charles.

Vanessa Williams in Ugly Betty

Although she resigned from fulfilling the duties of a current Miss America, Williams was allowed to keep her crown and scholarship money, and is officially recognized by the Miss America Organization as Miss America 1984.

Williams released her debut album The Right Stuff in 1988, and in 1994 she debuted on Broadway in the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. In 1995 she recorded "Colors of the Wind", the Oscar-winner for Best Original Song from the Disney animated feature film Pocahontas.

Williams's first film acting role was as the star of the feature film Eraser in 1996. From 2006 to 2010 she played the role of the scheming, self-absorbed diva and former supermodel Wilhelmina Slater in the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty, for which she received three Emmy Awards nominations. In 2009, Williams released her eighth studio album, The Real Thing.


In 2010 she joined the ensemble cast of the series Desperate Housewives as spoiled rich gal Renee Perry.


Many singers, actresses, television celebrities, and print models get their start in pageants. If you would like to learn how to compete in a beauty pageant, check out the Ultimate Pageant Notebook for insider secrets to winning and pageant tips on how to get started.