VANESSA WILLIAMS

Vanessa Williams is a black African American model, singer, and actress from the 1980s to the present. She was crowned Miss America 1984, and was the first African American to win, but subsequently was forced to resign from her title following a scandal involving unauthorized nude photos. They were taken very early in her career and later appeared in Penthouse without her consent (Hugh Hefner with Playboy refused to publish them!), but thankfully Williams was able to bounce right back! Some of her movies include: Shaft, Eraser, and Soul Food. She's also starred in TV's "Ugly Betty" and "Desperate Housewives"!