Vanessa Lynn Williams was born 18 March 1963 an American singer and actor. In 1983 she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal caused her to abandon her title soon. Williams step by launching a career as an entertainer, earning 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 she won, Williams won Miss New York in 1983 and went to the national Miss America contest in Atlantic City. She was crowned Miss America 1984, 17 September 1983, the first African American to win the title.
Williams secured a record deal and released his debut album, The Right Stuff in 1988. Williams parlayed her ascendant music career into a theatrical role when she was cast in the Broadway production of Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1994.
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