Vanessa Williams
Actress, Singer, Model
Born in New York City March 18, 1963, Vanessa
Lynn Williams rose to national prominence by becoming the
first African American to win the Miss America Pageant. Later
she used the same poise and musical talent that earned her
that title to establish herself as one of the most versatile
entertainers of her generation, attaining great success as
both an actress and a recording artist. Vanessa's parents,
who taught music in public schools, subjected Vanessa to a
grueling schedule of music and other performing arts studies
for many years. In 1981, she enrolled in Syracuse University,
where she majored in musical theater.
In the spring of 1983 the executive director
of the Miss America Greater Syracuse Pageant, asked Vanessa
to enter the contest. Previously had regarded beauty pageants
as "exploitative meat show." However, she agreed
to enter, partly because most of the contest centered on a
talent competition that she felt the exposure would benefit
her. And, if she won the top Miss America prize, she would
earn large personal appearance fees. In April 1983, Vanessa
Williams won the Miss America Greater Syracuse Pageant and
soon thereafter won the Miss New York State Pageant. In September
1983, she strongly impressed the judges with her combination
of beauty, intelligence and singing talent to win the title
of Miss America.
Vanessa held the Miss America crown for
only 10 months. In July 1984 it was discovered that in the
summer of 1982, while employed as a receptionist at the TEC
Model Registry in Mount Kisco, NY, she had posed for a series
of sexually explicit photographs with another woman. July
23, 1984, under pressure from pageant officials, she stepped
down, the first Miss America to abdicate in the history of
the pageant.
After giving up her crown, Vanessa Williams
immediately plunged into her career as a professional entertainer.
In 1987 she married Ramon Hervey II, a public relations specialist
who became her manager. They had three children before divorcing
in 1997.
Hervey helped guide Vanessa into a recording
career, signing her with Wing Records. In 1988 she released
her debut album, The Right Stuff, which contained several
hits including, "Dreamin'." Among her later releases
were albums The Comfort Zone (1991) and The Sweetest Days
(1994). While pursuing her singing career, Vanessa Williams
also built an equally illustrious reputation as an actress.
She had many roles in several made-for-television movies including
the mini series The Jackson: An American Dream, in which she
played the president of Motown Production in a story about
the Jackson 5. In 1992 she had a recurring role as the aerobics
instructor in the popular series, Melrose Place.
In 1987, Vanessa made her motion picture
debut in The Pick Up Artist and appeared in several other
films in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Her film work
exemplifies her wide-range acting capabilities. She successfully
played in the thriller Drop Squad (1994), the comedy Mother
(1996), the action picture Eraser (1996) and the drama Soul
Food (1997), a story about an embattled Chicago family. In
the summer of 1994 she made a striking impression in the title
role in the Broadway musical, Kiss Of The Spider Woman. Later
that year she performed on the New York City stage in Gypsy
Of The Year.
Her versatile singing and acting achievements
have made Vanessa L. Williams one of the most popular entertainers
of her time. In 1996 Syracuse University, from which she dropped
out to pursue her spectacular career, presented Vanessa with
the George Arents Pioneer medal, the university's highest
alumni award.
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