Vanessa Williams was born in Tarrytown, New York on March 18, 1963. Her parents are of African-American descent, and Williams grew up in a predominantly white middle-class suburban area in Millwood. Williams is a multi-talented contemporary African-American performer specializing in song, acting, and modeling.
On Sept. 17, 1983, Williams was the first African American to be crowned Miss America. She began her career as an entertainer and has been successful since. She has been nominated for a number of Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Awards. Williams is also a part of a new ABC show that starts soon. Click here to view.