Vanessa Williams was born on March 18, 1963 in Millwood, NY.  She attended Syracuse University and later would make history.  She was the first African-American to be crowned Miss America in 1983. Because of the photos subsequently published in Penthouse she was forced to give up the title. In 1988 she released an album, The Right Stuff. The album went gold, and three singles—"The Right Stuff," "He's Got the Look" and "Dreamin'" all made it into the top 10. Her debut album won her the title of Best New Female Artist award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that year, as well as three Grammy award nominations.  Williams went on to become even better known for her work as a film, television, and stage actress and a singer. Her movies include Eraser (1996), SoulFood (1997), and opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft (2000); her television appearances include Stompin' at the Savoy and The Odyssey, and she starred in Kiss of the Spider Woman on stage in 1994. She has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards for albums such as The Comfort Zone (1991) and Next (1997). In 1999 she married NBA player Rick Fox and they divorced in 2004.  She was on the TV series South Beach. She also has current roles on Ugly Betty and Desperate housewives.