.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
Vanessa Williams is a singer, actress and fashion designer famous for becoming the 1st African-American Miss America in 1984.
Vanessa Williams is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She is best known as the first African American woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1984. She has since gone on to achieve success as an actress, most notably for her lead role in Ugly Betty. Her musical career has seen success with her debut album, The Right Stuff, going platinum in 1988.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1963</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Vanessa Williams is Born</div><div class='timeline-text'>On March 18, 1963, Vanessa Williams was born in The Bronx, New York.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1983</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Wins Miss America</div><div class='timeline-text'>Vanessa Williams becomes the first African American woman to be crowned Miss America.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1988</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Debut Album Release</div><div class='timeline-text'>Williams releases her debut studio album, "The Right Stuff".</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1991</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Grammy Nomination</div><div class='timeline-text'>She receives her first Grammy nomination for the album "The Comfort Zone".</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>2000</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Broadway Debut</div><div class='timeline-text'>Williams makes her Broadway debut in the revival of "Kiss of the Spider Woman".</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>2006</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Stars in "Ugly Betty"</div><div class='timeline-text'>She stars as Wilhelmina Slater in the hit TV show "Ugly Betty".</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>2012</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Joins "666 Park Avenue"</div><div class='timeline-text'>Williams joins the cast of ABC's supernatural drama "666 Park Avenue".</div></div></div>
Vanessa Williams was born on March 18, 1963 and is currently 60 years old. She is best known for her starring role in the sitcom Ugly Betty and for her prolific career in theater. In 1984, Williams became the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America.
