Vanessa Williams - Wikipedia Vanessa Williams This article is about the actress, singer, and former Miss America. For other uses, see Vanessa Williams ( disambiguation ). Vanessa Williams Williams in March 2012 Vanessa Lynn Williams ( 1963 - 03 - 18 ) March 18, 1963 ( age 55 ) The Bronx, New York, U.S. Residence Chappaqua, New York, U.S. Nationality American Education Syracuse University Occupation Actress singer fashion designer Years active 1982 -- present Title Miss America 1984 Miss New York 1983 Miss Syracuse 1983 Term September 17, 1983 -- July 22, 1984 ( resigned ) Predecessor Debra Maffett Successor Suzette Charles Spouse ( s ) Ramon Hervey II ( m. 1987 ; div. 1997 ) Rick Fox ( m. 1999 ; div. 2004 ) Jim Skrip ( m. 2015 ) Children 4 ; including Jillian Hervey Relatives Chris Williams ( brother ) Musical career Genres R&B pop soul dance jazz gospel Labels Wing Polydor Mercury Lava Concord Website vanessawilliams.com Vanessa Lynn Williams ( born March 18, 1963 ) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She initially gained recognition as the first African - American recipient of the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984 in 1983. However, a scandal arose the following year when, a few weeks prior to the end of her reign, Williams learned that Penthouse magazine would be publishing unauthorized nude photographs of her in an upcoming issue. Amid growing media controversy and scrutiny, Williams resigned as Miss America in July 1984 ( under pressure from the Miss America Organization ), and was replaced by first runner - up Miss New Jersey Suzette Charles. Thirty - two years later, Miss America CEO Sam Haskell offered her a public apology ( during the Miss America 2016 pageant ) for the events of 1984. Williams rebounded from the scandal with a successful career as a singer and actress. In 1988, she released her debut studio album The Right Stuff whose title single saw moderate success before `` Dreamin ' '' peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Her second and third studio albums, The Comfort Zone ( 1991 ) and The Sweetest Days ( 1994 ), saw continued commercial success and for which she received multiple Grammy Award nominations, including for her number - one hit and signature song, `` Save the Best for Last ''. Her most recent studio albums include Everlasting Love ( 2005 ) and The Real Thing ( 2009 ). As an actress, Williams enjoyed success on both stage and screen, receiving an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Teri Joseph in the film Soul Food ( 1997 ). Her best known television roles are that of Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty ( 2006 -- 10 ), for which she was nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and Renee Perry on Desperate Housewives ( 2010 -- 12 ). She has also starred in films such as Eraser ( 1996 ), Soul Food ( 1997 ) and Dance with Me ( 1998 ). Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Name 3 Miss America 4 Career 4.1 Music 4.2 Television and film 4.3 Theatre 4.4 Additional roles 4.5 Fashion 5 Personal life 6 Honors and awards 7 Discography 8 Filmography 8.1 Film 8.2 Television 9 Book 10 See also 11 References 12 External links Early life and education Vanessa Lynn Williams was born in The Bronx, New York, with a birth announcement that read : `` Here she is : Miss America. '' Later in life, she participated in a DNA test with the following results : 23 % from Ghana, 17 % from the British Isles ( specifically English, Welsh and Irish ), 15 % from Cameroon, 12 % Finnish, 11 % Southern European, 7 % from Togo, 6 % from Benin, 5 % from Senegal, and 4 % Portuguese. Her maternal great - great grandfather was William A. Feilds, an African - American legislator in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Her mother Helen Tinch met her father Milton Augustine Williams Jr. ( 1935 -- 2006 ) while both were music education students at Fredonia State Teachers College in the late 1950s. They both became elementary school music teachers after marriage, though their teaching positions were in separate districts. Milton also served as the assistant principal of his school for an extended period of time. Williams was raised Roman Catholic, the religion of her father. Her mother, who had been raised Baptist, converted to Catholicism when she got married. Williams was baptized at Our Lady of Grace Church in the Bronx. Her mother played the organ at St. Theresa 's Church in Briarcliff Manor for weddings and at mass, and Williams used to assist her mother by turning the pages of sheet music. Williams and her younger brother Chris ( who would later become an actor ) grew up in a predominantly white middle - class suburb of New York City. Williams believes she may have been the first African - American student to go from the first grade to the 12th grade in the Chappaqua Central School District. A child of music teachers, Williams grew up in a musical household, studying classical and jazz dance, French horn, piano, and violin. She was offered the Presidential Scholarship for Drama to attend Carnegie Mellon University during the college application period, ( one of 12 students to receive it ) but decided instead to attend Syracuse University on a different scholarship. Thus, in 1981, Williams joined Syracuse 's College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Drama as a musical theater major. She stayed at Syracuse through her sophomore year until she was crowned Miss America 1984 in September 1983. Twenty - five years later in May 2008, Syracuse granted Williams a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. According to Syracuse News, `` Williams earned the remaining credits for her degree through industry experience and her substantial performances on stage and screen. '' Williams also delivered the 2008 convocation address, telling Syracuse seniors to `` treasure this moment. These days are irreplaceable and are the beginning of the rest of your life. '' Name Williams is most often referenced and publicly recognized simply as `` Vanessa Williams ''. There is, however, occasional confusion with the similarly named actress Vanessa A. Williams, who is just two months younger. It has been reported that Williams first became aware of Vanessa A. in the 1980s when her New York University registrar told her that another, similarly aged student with the same name and from the same state had applied. When Williams appeared as Miss America in a Macy 's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Vanessa A. accidentally received her check for the appearance, which she returned. In the area of acting, the two ran into name conflict when Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa A. had registered the name `` Vanessa Williams '' first, so as a compromise, Williams was occasionally credited as `` Vanessa L. Williams '' in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama Soul Food ( Williams in the film version, and Vanessa A. in its TV series adaptation ). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to arbitration and decided both actresses could use the professional name `` Vanessa Williams ''. Miss America Vanessa Williams at the conclusion of her performance of `` Oh How the Years Go By '' at Miss America 2016 Main article : Vanessa Williams and Miss America Williams was the first African American recipient of the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984 in September 1983. Several weeks before the end of her reign, however, a scandal arose when Penthouse magazine bought and published unauthorized nude photographs of her. Williams was pressured to relinquish her title, and was succeeded by the first runner - up, Miss New Jersey 1983, Suzette Charles. Thirty - two years later, in September 2015, when Williams served as head judge for the Miss America 2016 pageant, former Miss America CEO Sam Haskell made a public apology to her for the events of 1984. Career Music Williams first received public recognition for her musical abilities when she won the preliminary talent portion of the Miss America pageant with her rendition of `` Happy Days Are Here Again '' ( Williams would later be crowned Miss America 1984 ). Four years later in 1988, Williams released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, `` The Right Stuff '', found success on the R&B chart, while the second single, `` He 's Got the Look '', found similar success on the same chart. The third single, `` Dreamin ' '', was a pop hit, becoming Williams ' first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs chart. The album reached platinum status in the U.S. and earned her a NAACP Image Award and three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist. Her second album The Comfort Zone became the biggest success in her music career. The lead single `` Running Back to You '' reached top twenty on the Hot 100, and the top position of Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs chart on October 5, 1991. Other singles included `` The Comfort Zone '' ( # 2 R&B ), `` Just for Tonight '' ( # 26 Pop ), a cover of The Isley Brothers ' `` Work to Do '' ( # 3 R&B ), and the club - only hit `` Freedom Dance ( Get Free ! ). '' The most successful single from the album, as well as her biggest hit to date, is `` Save the Best for Last ''. It reached No. 1 in the United States, where it remained for five weeks, as well as No. 1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, and was in the top 5 in Japan, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2.2 million copies in the U.S. at its time of release and has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA, gold in Canada by the CRIA, and platinum in the United Kingdom by the BPI. The Comfort Zone earned Williams five Grammy Award nominations. The Sweetest Days, her third album, was released in 1994 to highly - favorable reviews. The album saw Williams branch out and sample other styles of music that included jazz, hip hop, rock, and Latin - themed recordings such as `` Betcha Never '' and `` You Ca n't Run '', both written and produced by Babyface. Other singles from the album included the adult - contemporary and dance hit `` The Way That You Love '' and the title track. The album was certified platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA and earned her two Grammy Award nominations. Other releases include two Christmas albums, Star Bright in 1996, and Silver & Gold in 2004 ; Next in 1997, Everlasting Love in 2005, and The Real Thing in 2009, along with a greatest - hits compilation released in 1998, and a host of other compilations released over the years. Notable chart performances from subsequent albums, motion picture and television soundtracks have included the songs `` Love Is '', which was a duet with Brian McKnight, the Golden Globe - and Academy Award - winning `` Colors of the Wind '', `` Where Do We Go from Here ? '', and `` Oh How the Years Go By ''. In April 2018, she announced she was working on a new studio album due in the Fall which would incorporate her R&B, pop & Broadway influences. Television and film Williams at the 2007 Mercedes - Benz Fashion Week in New York City Williams has had a successful career in television. Her first television appearance was on a 1984 episode of The Love Boat followed by guest appearances in a number of popular shows. In 1995, Williams starred as Rose Alvarez in a television adaptation of the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie and portrayed the nymph Calypso in the 1997 Hallmark Entertainment miniseries The Odyssey. In 2001, Williams starred in the Lifetime cable movie about the life of Henriette DeLille, The Courage to Love and in 2003, Williams read the narrative of Tempie Herndon Durham from the WPA slave narratives in the HBO documentary Unchained Memories : Readings from the Slave Narratives. In 2006, Williams received considerable media attention for her comic / villainess role as former model / magazine creative director turned editor - in - chief Wilhelmina Slater in the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty. Her performance on the series resulted in a nomination for outstanding supporting actress at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards and in 2008 and 2009, she was nominated in the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series category for Ugly Betty. Williams next joined the cast of Desperate Housewives for its seventh season, where she portrayed Renee Perry, an old college `` frenemy '' of Lynette Scavo ( Felicity Huffman ). In 2016, she joined the cast of The Librarians, as recurring villainess General Rockwell. She is scheduled to star as Maxine on the VH1 television series Daytime Divas in June 2017. Williams has also appeared in a number of feature films. She received a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Teri Joseph for the 1997 feature film Soul Food. In 2007, she starred in the independent film My Brother, for which she won Best Actress honors at the Harlem International Film Festival, the African - American Women in Cinema Film Festival, and at the Santa Barbara African Heritage Film Festival. She also notably co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser, Samuel L. Jackson in the 2000 remake of Shaft, the characters from Sesame Street in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland ( as the Queen of Trash ), and with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana : The Movie. Theatre Williams began her career on stage in the 1985 production, One Man Band, as one of `` the women. '' She followed it in 1989 as `` Laura '' in Checkmates. In 1994, she broadened her ascendant music career into a theatrical role when she was cast as the understudy for Aurora in the Broadway production of Kiss of the Spider Woman. In 1998, she portrayed Della Green in the revival of St. Louis Woman, and Carmen Jones in the 2002 Kennedy Center Special Performance of Carmen Jones. In the same year, she was also featured in the Tony / Drama Desk Award winning revival production of Stephen Sondheim 's Into the Woods, for which she was nominated a Tony and Drama Desk Award for her performance as the Witch. This production included songs revised for her. In 2010, Vanessa starred in a new Broadway musical revue entitled Sondheim on Sondheim, a look at Stephen Sondheim through his music, film and videotaped interviews. Sondheim ran from March 19 to June 13 at Studio 54 in New York City. In 2013, she starred as Jessie Mae Watts in the Horton Foote play The Trip to Bountiful, which was later turned into a 2014 television film. In 2014, she starred in the Broadway musical, After Midnight and in 2015 she appeared in a PBS production of Show Boat as Julie La Verne. Additional roles Williams served as the host of the 1994 Essence Awards, co-host of Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters : Verve Records at 50, host of the 1998 NAACP Image Awards, host of the 2002 documentary, It 's Black Entertainment, host of The 6th Annual TV Land Awards in 2007, host of the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2009, and finally host of the documentary Dreams Come True : A Celebration of Disney Animation ( 2009 ). Williams is a spokesmodel for Proactiv Solution, and was the first African - American spokesmodel for L'Oréal cosmetics in the late 1990s. She appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2000 as a contestant, and once again on August 10, 2009, as a celebrity guest during the show 's 10th anniversary prime - time special editions, winning $50,000 for her charity. In a commercial that began running during Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, Williams voiced the new character Ms. Brown, a brown M&M. Fashion In March 2016, Williams launched her own clothing line, V. by Vanessa Williams for EVINE Live. Personal life Williams and her mother Helen co-authored a memoir entitled You Have No Idea, published in April 2012. In the book, Williams discusses her childhood, rise to fame, and personal struggles ( including life with type 1 diabetes ), including the fact that she was sexually molested by a woman when she was 10 years old. She also spoke candidly about having an abortion while she was in high school. Williams is a Roman Catholic, something she spoke about on the ABC News program, Focus On Faith with Father Edward L. Beck. Williams is also involved with a number of humanitarian causes. She is a supporter of LGBT rights and same sex marriage, and in 2011 she participated in a human rights campaign entitled `` New Yorkers for Marriage Equality ''. She is also partnered with Dress For Success, an organization that provides professional attire for low - income women, to help support their job - search and interview process. In addition, Williams is involved with The San Miquel Academy of Newburgh, a school for boys at risk. Williams has been married three times. She married her first husband, Ramon Hervey II, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in 1987 just a few years after giving up her crown, and gave birth to her first child at this time. Hervey was a public relations specialist who had been hired to resuscitate her career after her resignation as Miss America in July 1984. They have three children ( Melanie, Jillian Hervey, and Devin ) and divorced in 1997. She then married NBA basketball player Rick Fox in 1999. They have one daughter, Sasha Gabriella Fox, and divorced in 2004. In 2015, Williams married Jim Skrip, a businessman from Buffalo, New York. Her daughter Jillian Hervey is an American singer, dancer and member of the group Lion Babe. Honors and Awards Main article : List of awards and nominations received by Vanessa Williams Williams is the recipient of many awards and nominations including Grammy nominations for hits such as `` The Right Stuff '', `` Save the Best for Last '', and `` Colors of the Wind ''. In addition, she has earned multiple Emmy nominations, a Tony Award nomination, seven NAACP Image Awards, and four Satellite Awards. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 19, 2007. Discography Main article : Vanessa Williams discography Studio albums The Right Stuff ( 1988 ) The Comfort Zone ( 1991 ) The Sweetest Days ( 1994 ) Star Bright ( 1996 ) Next ( 1997 ) Silver & Gold ( 2004 ) Everlasting Love ( 2005 ) The Real Thing ( 2009 ) Filmography Source ( unless otherwise specified ) : Vanessa Williams at AllMovie Film Year Title Role Notes The Pick - up Artist Rae, girl with dog Under the Gun Samantha Richards 1991 Another You Gloria 1991 Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man Lulu Daniels Eraser Dr. Lee Cullen 1997 Soul Food Teri Joseph 1997 Hoodlum Francine Hughes 1998 Dance with Me Ruby Sinclair 1999 The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Queen of Trash 1999 Light It Up Detective Audrey McDonald 2000 A Diva 's Christmas Carol Ebony Scrooge 2000 Shaft Carmen Vasquez Johnson Family Vacation Dorothy Johnson 2006 My Brother L'Tisha Morton 2007 And Then Came Love Julie Davidson 2009 Hannah Montana : The Movie Vita 2011 Delhi Safari Beggum ( voice ) English version 2012 He 's Way More Famous Than You Herself 2013 Temptation : Confessions of a Marriage Counselor Janice 2014 When Marnie Was There Hisako ( voice ) English version 2018 Suicide Squad : Hell to Pay Amanda Waller ( voice ) Television Year Title Role Notes 1984 The Love Boat Herself Episode : `` Ace 's Valet ; Mother Comes First ; Hit or Miss America '' 1984 Partners in Crime Roselle Robins Episode : `` Celebrity '' 1986 The Redd Foxx Show Jessica Episode : `` The Prodigal Son '' 1986 T.J. Hooker Officer Pat Williamson Episode : `` Partners in Death '' 1986 The Love Boat Pearl Episode : `` My Stepmother, Myself / Almost Roommates / Cornerback Sneak '' Full Exposure : The Sex Tapes Scandal Valentine Hayward Movie 1990 Perry Mason : The Case of the Silenced Singer Terri Knight Movie 1990 The Kid Who Loved Christmas Lynette Movie 1992 Stompin ' at the Savoy Pauline Movie 1992 The Jacksons : An American Dream Suzanne de Passe Miniseries ; 2 episodes 1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air Danny Mitchell Episode : `` A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home from the Forum '' 1995 Happily Ever After : Fairy Tales for Every Child Beauty ( voice ) Episode : `` Beauty and the Beast '' 1995 Nothing Lasts Forever Dr. Kathy `` Kat '' Hunter Movie 1995 Bye Bye Birdie Rose Alvarez Movie Star Trek : Deep Space Nine Arandis Episode : `` Let He Who Is Without Sin... '' 1997 The Odyssey Calypso Miniseries ; 2 episodes 1998 Futuresport Alex Torres Movie 1999 L.A. Doctors Dr. Leanne Barrows 3 episodes 2000 The Courage to Love Henriette DeLille Movie 2000 Don Quixote Dulcinea / Aldonza Movie 2000 A Diva 's Christmas Carol Ebony Scrooge Movie 2001 WW3 M.J. Blake Movie 2001 Santa, Baby ! Alicia ( voice ) Movie 2002 Keep the Faith, Baby Hazel Scott Movie 2002 Ally McBeal Sheila Hunt Episode : `` Another One Bites the Dust '' 2002 The Proud Family Debra ( voice ) Episode : `` Ai n't Nothing Like the Real Thingy, Baby '' 2003 Boomtown Detective Katherine Pierce 6 episodes 2006 South Beach Elizabeth Bauer Main role ( 8 episodes ) 2006 -- 2010 Ugly Betty Wilhelmina Slater Main role ( 85 episodes ) 2007 -- 2008 Mama Mirabelle 's Home Movies Mama Mirabelle ( voice ) Main role ( 23 episodes ) 2010 -- 2012 Desperate Housewives Renee Perry Main role ( 45 episodes in seasons 7 -- 8 ) 2011 RuPaul 's Drag Race Herself Season 3, episode 2 2011 Who Do You Think You Are ? Herself Season 2, episode 1 2012 Phineas and Ferb Flight attendant ( voice ) Episode : `` Where 's Perry ( Part One ) '' 2012 -- 2013 666 Park Avenue Olivia Doran Main role ( 13 episodes ) 2014 The Trip to Bountiful Jessie Mae Watts Movie 2014 Oprah 's Master Class Herself Season 4, episode 7 2015 The Mindy Project Dr. Suzanne Phillips Episode : `` Danny Castellano Is My Nutritionist '' 2015 Royal Pains Olympia Houston 2 episodes 2015 The Good Wife Courtney Paige 4 episodes 2016 Broad City Elizabeth Carlton Episode : `` Game Over '' 2016 Milo Murphy 's Law Eileen Underwood ( voice ) 2016 -- 2017 The Librarians Gen. Cynthia Rockwell 4 episodes 2017 Daytime Divas Maxine Robinson Main role ( 10 episodes ) 2017 Modern Family Rhonda Episode : `` The Long Goodbye '' 2018 RuPaul 's Drag Race All Stars Herself Season 3, episode 2 Book Wiliams, Vanessa ; Wiliams, Helen ( April 17, 2012 ). You Have No Idea : A Famous Daughter, Her No - Nonsense Mother, and How They Survived Pageants, Hollywood, Love, Loss ( and Each Other ). New York : Gotham Books. ISBN 978 - 1 - 5924 - 0759 - 0. See also Book : Vanessa Williams Biography portal List of artists who reached number one in the United States List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart References ^ Jump up to : `` Vanessa Williams Biography ''. biography.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Vanessa Williams on Her Faith ''. ABC News. 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Telegraph Reporters ( September 14, 2015 ). `` Miss America apologises to Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty star ''. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved September 15, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Actress Vanessa Williams Explains How DNA Powers Her Family Tree ''. ancestry.com. May 14, 2013. Jump up ^ `` African American Legislators in 19th Century Tennessee : William Alexander Feilds ''. State of Tennessee. Retrieved September 19, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Who Do You Think You Are ? : Season 2, Episode 1, Vanessa Williams ( February, 2011 ) ''. Who Do You Think You Are ?. February 4, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Helen Tinch Williams, mother of Vanessa Williams, to be honored by SUNY Fredonia ''. Observer ( Dunkirk ). November 10, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2015. Jump up ^ Wise, Brian ( January 29, 2006 ). `` An Appreciation ; Remembering Milton Williams, A Mentor to Music Students ''. The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Vanessa Williams Biography ''. billboard.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Blust, Erica ( May 5, 2008 ). `` Vanessa Williams to deliver 2008 convocation address for College of Visual and Performing Arts, receive BFA degree ''. Syracuse University. Retrieved September 15, 2015. Jump up ^ AP ( May 14, 2008 ). `` Vanessa Williams To Graduate From College This Weekend ''. Huffington Post. Retrieved September 15, 2015. Jump up ^ Johnson, Melinda ( May 10, 2008 ). `` Vanessa Williams gets Syracuse University degree ''. syracuse.com. Retrieved September 15, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Hobson, Louis B. ( August 16, 1998 ), `` Vanessa dancing up a storm '' Archived July 11, 2012, at Archive.is, Canoe.ca ^ Jump up to : `` Vanessa Williams : Boomtown 's New Bombshell ! ''. TV Guide. September 2, 2003. ^ Jump up to : Singleton, Don ( September 18, 1983 ). `` Vanessa Williams is crowned the first African - American Miss America in 1983 ''. New York Daily News. Retrieved September 14, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams 's ancestry revealed : One great great grandfather escaped slavery... the other was a politician who left ' a legacy more precious than gold ' ''. Daily Mail. London. February 6, 2011. ' As an African American growing up here in the States, there are a lot of records that we do n't have. ' Jump up ^ `` A New York Debut ''. People. Retrieved February 23, 2013. Jump up ^ Wilson, Julee ( September 17, 2012 ). `` A Look Black : Vanessa Williams Crowned Miss America In 1983 ''. The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2013. Jump up ^ Rogers, Katie ( September 14, 2015 ). `` Vanessa Williams Returns to Miss America and Receives an Apology ''. New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2015. Jump up ^ http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/vanessa-williams-10305047 Jump up ^ Snierson, Dan ( October 7, 2007 ). `` ' Love Boat ' : A Fantastic Voyage ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Emmy Award Winner ''. Emmys.com. Jump up ^ `` Desperate Housewives '' Scoop : Vanessa L. Williams Moving to Wisteria Lane !, Entertainment Weekly, May 18, 2010. Jump up ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth ( May 4, 2016 ). `` Vanessa Williams Joins TNT 's ' The Librarians ' Season 3 ( EXCLUSIVE ) ''. Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams to Topline VH1 's Star Jones Drama ' Satan 's Sisters ' ''. ^ Jump up to : FOX. `` Vanessa Williams ''. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Brings MY BROTHER to Big Screen ''. Yahoo ! Voices. March 14, 2007. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Hruska, Bronwen ( June 19, 1996 ). `` The ` Eraser ' Effect Singer Vanessa Williams Hopes The New Schwarzenegger Film Will Wipe Away Doubts About Her Acting - As Well As Any Lingering Memories Of Her Beauty - queen Fiasco ''. Philly.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ On ' Hannah Montana : The Movie ' Is Underway. WJXT Jacksonville Archived May 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Bruckner, D.J.R. ( June 26, 1985 ). `` Stage : ' One - Man Band, ' at South Street Theater ''. NY Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Shirley, Don. `` Stage Review : New Faces in ' Checkmates ' in Westwood ''. LA Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Hershenson, Roberta ( October 2, 1994 ). `` Vanessa Williams, a Homespun ' Spider Woman ' ''. New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Brantley, Ben ( May 2, 1998 ). `` Theater Review ; The Birthright of Beauty : Free and Easy ''. NY Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Marks, Peter ( November 18, 2002 ). `` ' Carmen Jones, ' Chilled and Well Served Its Star ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Weinraub, Bernard ( February 24, 2002 ). `` Spring Theater ; Back to the Woods, With Darker Lyrics And a Dancing Cow ''. The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Jones, Kenneth. `` Sondheim on Sondheim, a New Musical Reflection of a Life in Art, Begins on Broadway '' Archived March 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine... Playbill, March 19, 2010. Jump up ^ `` The Trip To Bountiful ''. Roundabout Theatre Company, April 5, 2013. Jump up ^ Diamond Grant. `` Vanessa Williams Steps Into ' After Midnight ' on Deck Circle ''. BroadwayTour.net, February 20, 2014. Jump up ^ Murray, Larry ( October 7, 2015 ). `` Classic American musical `` Show Boat '' gets first class production on PBS ``. berkshireonstage.com. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Essence Awards ( 1994 ) ''. TCM Channel. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Kohlhaase, Bill ( May 18, 1994 ). `` TV Review : ' Jazz Masters ' Salute on PBS Swings at Variable Speeds ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The 29th NAACP Image Awards ( 1998 ) ''. TCM Channel. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` TV Land Awards ''. TV Guide. 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` TV Land Awards ''. Emmy Online. 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams ''. proactiv.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` L'Oréal Futur - E TV Ad ( 1998 ) ''. YouTube. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Who Wants to Be a Millionaire : Episode Guide ''. msn. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 10th Anniversary - Part 4 ''. Dailymotion. Retrieved October 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Owen, Rob ( February 17, 2012 ). `` TV Q&A : ' The Good Wife, ' awards shows and ' The Little Couple ' ''. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 17, 2012. Jump up ^ `` First Look : Vanessa Williams Launches Clothing Line, Where Everything Is Under $100 and Meant to ' Hide Bra Fat ' ''. March 14, 2016. Jump up ^ Chai, Barbara ( April 17, 2012 ). `` Vanessa Williams Speaks Candidly in ' You Have No Idea ' ''. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Gostin, Nicki ( April 18, 2012 ). `` QA : Vanessa Williams writes of sexual abuse, teenage abortion in new book ''. Fox News. Retrieved May 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Bauer, Zoe. `` Lily Allen and Other Celebs Who Shared Their Views on Abortion ''. Yahoo ! OMG !. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Speaks Out for Marriage Equality ''. BET.com. Retrieved June 1, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams on How to Make the Perfect First Impression -- On the Phone ''. Jump up ^ West, Latoya ( November 4, 2015 ). `` Vanessa Williams supports tuition - free school for at - risk boys ''. The Journal News. Retrieved November 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Norment, Lynn ( October 1997 ). `` Vanessa L. Williams : on her painful divorce, the pressures of superstardom and her new life as a single mom ''. Ebony. Retrieved May 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Jet ''. Google.com. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Jet - Google Books ''. Books.google.com. February 2, 1987. Retrieved February 12, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Jet ''. Google.com. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Is Engaged to Boyfriend Jim Skrip -- Check Out Her Stunning Engagement Ring ! ''. Eonline.com. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Long past that Miss A scandal, Vanessa Williams is happy she - and pageant - are back in Atlantic City ''. Philly.com. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa L. Williams : On Her Painful Divorce, the Pressures of Superstardom and Her New Life as a Single Mom ''. Ebony. October 1997. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Vanessa Williams Biography ''. People. Retrieved May 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Talking Money with Rick Fox and Vanessa L. Williams -- Behind the Glamorous Life, His - and - Hers Nest Eggs - NYTimes.com ''. Nytimes.com. November 25, 2001. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams On Her Forever Romantic View Of Relationships ( VIDEO ) ''. The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Fox Denies Another Woman Played Part In Williams Split ''. July 19, 2004. Jump up ^ `` USATODAY.com - Rick Fox files for divorce from Vanessa Williams ''. Jump up ^ Margaret, Mary ( August 5, 2007 ). `` Exes Vanessa Williams, Rick Fox Hook Up for Ugly Betty ''. People Magazine. Retrieved August 5, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Ties the Knot with Jim Skrip ''. People. July 4, 2015. Retrieved July 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Rice, Lynette ( September 26, 2014 ). `` Vanessa Williams Is Engaged to Jim Skrip ''. People. Retrieved September 26, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Actress Vanessa Williams marries for a third time ''. LA Times. July 6, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame ''. UPI. 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2015. Jump up ^ O'Connor, John J. ( 1984 - 09 - 29 ). `` TV : 2 SERIES, ' PARTNERS IN CRIME ' AND ' COVER UP ' ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Jack, Fisher ( 2016 - 09 - 11 ). `` On the Next Actor 's Choice ( 09 - 12 - 16 ) : Ursaline Bryant and Shelly Fisher ''. EURweb. Electronic Urban Report. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. ^ Jump up to : McCann, Bob ( 2009 - 10 - 30 ). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. p. 365. ISBN 9780786458042. Retrieved 17 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` The Love Boat Season 9, Episode 24 My Stepmother, Myself ; Almost Roommates ; Cornerback Sneak ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Bobbin, Jay ( August 23, 1998 ). `` Brooke Shields, Vanessa Williams and Gail O'Grady star as... '' Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Williams, Vanessa ''. StarTrek.com. CBS Studios. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ WW3 at the TCM Movie Database Jump up ^ Wilson, Joanna ( February 23, 2012 ). `` Santa, Baby ! ( 2001 ) ''. Christmas TV History. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Template : Tcmdb Jump up ^ `` The Proud Family Season 2, Episode 3 Ai n't Nothing like the Real Thingy, Baby ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Stransky, Tanner ( 2011 - 01 - 25 ). `` ' RuPaul 's Drag Race ' season premiere : Can you believe RuPaul brought ( spoiler ) back ? ! ? ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Who Do You Think You Are ? Season 2, Episode 1 Vanessa Williams ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Arrant, Chris ( 2012 - 07 - 04 ). `` Disney 's ' Phineas and Ferb ' to Air Two - Part ' Where 's Perry ? ' Special and Online Mystery ''. Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie ( March 9, 2012 ). `` ' Desperate Housewives ' Vanessa Williams To Co-Star In ABC Pilot ' 666 Park Avenue ' ''. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 11, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Vanessa Williams Opens Up About Being Molested as a Child ''. Oprah.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ Harnick, Chris ( 2015 - 02 - 24 ). `` Exclusive : Mindy Has the Hots for Vanessa Williams ? ! ''. E ! Online. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ Duffy, Paula ( 2015 - 06 - 30 ). `` ROYAL PAINS Recap / Update : Boris Is Back To Make Evan Crazy ''. TVRuckus. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` The Good Wife Cast ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ Upadhyaya, Kayla Kumari ( 2016 - 03 - 02 ). `` It 's `` Game Over '' for Ilana 's professional life on Broad City ``. TV Club. AV Club. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise ( 4 February 2016 ). `` ' Weird Al ' Yankovic To Voice Title Role In ' Milo Murphy 's Law ' For Disney XD ''. Deadline Hollywood. Jump up ^ `` And the Rise of Chaos - Guest Cast ''. www.tvmaze.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` And the Trial of the Triangle - Guest Cast ''. www.tvmaze.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` And the Fatal Separation - Guest Cast ''. www.tvmaze.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` And the Wrath of Chaos - Guest Cast ''. www.tvmaze.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise ( March 1, 2016 ). `` Vanessa Williams To Star In ' Satan 's Sisters ' Drama Series At VH1 ''. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 1, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Modern Family Season 9, Episode 2 The Long Goodbye ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 18. Jump up ^ `` First Look : Vanessa Williams Returns As A Judge On ' RuPaul 's Drag Race All Stars ' ! ''. OK ! Magazine. 2018 - 01 - 31. Retrieved 2018 - 03 - 17. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vanessa Williams. Wikiquote has quotations related to : Vanessa Williams Official website Vanessa Williams on IMDb Vanessa Williams at AllMusic Vanessa Williams at the Internet Broadway Database Awards and achievements Preceded by Debra Maffett Miss America 1984 Succeeded by Suzette Charles Preceded by Eileen Clark Miss New York Succeeded by Melissa Manning Vanessa Williams Discography Awards and nominations Studio albums The Right Stuff The Comfort Zone The Sweetest Days Star Bright Next Silver & Gold Everlasting Love The Real Thing Compilations Greatest Hits : The First Ten Years Love Songs Singles `` The Right Stuff '' `` ( He 's Got ) the Look '' `` Dreamin ' '' `` Darlin ' I '' `` Running Back to You '' `` The Comfort Zone '' `` Save the Best for Last '' `` Work to Do '' `` Just for Tonight '' `` Love Is '' `` The Sweetest Days '' `` The Way That You Love '' `` Colors of the Wind '' `` Where Do We Go from Here '' `` Do You Hear What I Hear / The Little Drummer Boy '' `` Happiness '' `` Oh How the Years Go By '' `` Merry Christmas Darling '' `` You Are Everything '' `` The Real Thing '' Relatives William A. Feilds Chris Williams Jillian Hervey Related topics Teri Joseph Wilhelmina Slater Renee Perry Vanessa Williams and Miss America Book Awards for Vanessa Williams Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Miniseries or Television Film Helen Mirren ( 1996 ) Jennifer Beals ( 1997 ) Angelina Jolie ( 1998 ) Linda Hamilton ( 1999 ) Jill Hennessy ( 2000 ) Judy Davis ( 2001 ) Vanessa Williams ( 2002 ) Meryl Streep ( 2003 ) Dianne Wiest ( 2004 ) Kristen Bell ( 2005 ) Judy Davis ( 2006 ) Samantha Morton ( 2007 ) Judi Dench ( 2008 ) Drew Barrymore ( 2009 ) Claire Danes ( 2010 ) Kate Winslet ( 2011 ) Julianne Moore ( 2012 ) Elisabeth Moss ( 2013 ) Frances McDormand ( 2014 ) Sarah Hay ( 2015 ) Sarah Paulson ( 2016 ) Nicole Kidman ( 2017 ) Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series, Miniseries or Television Film Kathy Bates ( 1996 ) Ellen Barkin ( 1997 ) Rita Wilson ( 1998 ) Julia Ormond ( 2001 ) Helen Mirren ( 2002 ) Justine Bateman ( 2003 ) Anjelica Huston ( 2004 ) Lisa Edelstein ( 2005 ) Julie Benz ( 2006 ) Vanessa Williams ( 2007 ) Fionnula Flanagan ( 2008 ) Jane Lynch ( 2009 ) Brenda Vaccaro ( 2010 ) Vanessa Williams ( 2011 ) Maggie Smith ( 2012 ) Laura Prepon ( 2013 ) Sarah Paulson ( 2014 ) Rhea Seehorn ( 2015 ) Olivia Colman / Rhea Seehorn ( 2016 ) Ann Dowd ( 2017 ) Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain Vanessa Williams ( 2007 ) Ed Westwick ( 2008 -- 09 ) Ian Somerhalder ( 2010 ) Justin Bieber ( 2011 ) Janel Parrish ( 2012 -- 13 ) Dylan O'Brien ( 2014 ) Vanessa Ray ( 2015 ) Janel Parrish ( 2016 -- 17 ) Mark Consuelos ( 2018 ) Miss America titleholders ( 1980 -- 1999 ) Cheryl Prewitt ( 1980 ) Susan Powell ( 1981 ) Elizabeth Ward ( 1982 ) Debra Maffett ( 1983 ) Vanessa Williams / Suzette Charles ( 1984 ) Sharlene Wells ( 1985 ) Susan Akin ( 1986 ) Kellye Cash ( 1987 ) Kaye Lani Rae Rafko ( 1988 ) Gretchen Carlson ( 1989 ) Debbye Turner ( 1990 ) Marjorie Judith Vincent ( 1991 ) Carolyn Suzanne Sapp ( 1992 ) Leanza Cornett ( 1993 ) Kimberly Clarice Aiken ( 1994 ) Heather Whitestone ( 1995 ) Shawntel Smith ( 1996 ) Tara Dawn Holland ( 1997 ) Katherine Shindle ( 1998 ) Nicole Johnson ( 1999 ) New York pageant winners Miss New York Bess Myerson ( 1945 ) Kris Krull ( 1974 ) Tawny Godin ( 1975 ) Mary Hinterberger ( 1975 ) Vanessa Williams ( 1983 ) Maryalice Demler ( 1990 ) Brandi Burkhardt ( 1999 ) Jessica Lynch ( 2003 ) Christina Ellington ( 2004 ) Kandice Pelletier ( 2005 ) Leigh - Taylor Smith ( 2008 ) Claire Buffie ( 2010 ) Kaitlin Monte ( 2011 ) Mallory Hagan ( 2012 ) Nina Davuluri ( 2013 ) Kira Kazantsev ( 2014 ) Jamie Lynn Macchia ( 2015 ) Miss New York USA Jackie Loughery ( 1952 ) Mary Therese Friel ( 1979 ) Jennifer Gareis ( 1994 ) Shanna Moakler ( 1995 ) Kimberly Pressler ( 1999 ) Jaclyn Nesheiwat ( 2004 ) Meaghan Jarensky ( 2005 ) Adriana Diaz ( 2006 ) Gloria Almonte ( 2007 ) Danielle Roundtree ( 2008 ) Tracey Chang ( 2009 ) Joanne Nosuchinsky ( 2013 ) Serena Bucaj ( 2016 ) Miss New York Teen USA Ruth Zakarian ( 1983 ) Jessica Collins ( 1988 ) Kimberly Pressler ( 1994 ) Gloria Almonte ( 2001 ) Adriana Diaz ( 2003 ) Natascha Bessez ( 2005 ) Taylor Gildersleeve ( 2009 ) Corrin Stellakis ( 2014 ) Mrs. New York Meaghan Castaldi ( 2010 ) BIBSYS : 7078941 BNE : XX1287612 BNF : cb139662905 ( data ) GND : 134633474 ISNI : 0000 0001 1462 842X LCCN : n88028222 MusicBrainz : 7cce3b8e - 623c - 4078 - b079 - 837cbcf638c4 NKC : xx0025306 SUDOC : 200130064 VIAF : 249551293 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vanessa_Williams&oldid=856750012 '' Categories : Vanessa Williams 1963 births 20th - century American singers 20th - century women singers 21st - century American singers 21st - century women singers Actresses from New York City African - American actresses African - American Catholics African - American fashion designers African - American female singers American contemporary R&B singers American dance musicians American fashion designers American female pop singers American film actresses American soul singers American voice actresses Beauty pageant controversies Concord Records artists Lava Records artists LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Mercury Records artists Miss America 1980s delegates Miss America Preliminary Talent winners Miss America winners Miss New York winners People with diabetes mellitus type 1 Syracuse University alumni Hidden categories : Webarchive template archiveis links Webarchive template wayback links Use mdy dates from March 2018 Articles with hCards Commons category with page title different than on Wikidata Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia Articles with IBDb links Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with NKC identifiers Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Asturianu تۆرکجه Català Cebuano Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית Kiswahili Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Shqip Simple English Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog ไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt Volapük 中文 34 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 August 2018, at 09 : 03 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who was the first african amercian woman to be crowned miss america
Answer: Vanessa Lynn Williams