Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American
model,
singer,
songwriter and
actress. Williams made history on September 17, 1983 when she became the first woman of
African American descent to be crowned
Miss America. Williams' reign as Miss America came to an abrupt end when scandal led to her subsequent resignation of the title. Williams rebounded by launching a career as an entertainer, earning
Grammy,
Emmy, and
Tony Award nominations.
Early life
Williams was born in
Tarrytown, New York, the daughter of music teachers Helen and Milton Augustine Williams Jr.
[Vanessa L. Williams Biography (1963-)][AN APPRECIATION; Remembering Milton Williams, A Mentor to Music Students - New York Times] Williams and her younger brother
Chris, who is also an actor, grew up in the predominantly white
middle-class suburban area of
Millwood, New York. Prophetically, her parents put "Here she is: Miss America" on her birth announcement.
[Entertainment Tonight interview. December 11, 2005.]
