Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American
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.
She is also well-known for her outspoken support of
gay rights, having won the
Human Rights Campaign "Ally for Equality" award in 2008.
