Vanessa Williams ( born March 18 , 1963 ) is an American actress , singer , and fashion designer . She initially gained recognition as the first African American winner of the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984 in September 1983 . Several weeks before the end of her reign , however , a scandal arose when '' Penthouse '' magazine bought and published unauthorized nude photographs of Williams . Williams was pressured to relinquish her title , and was succeeded by the first runner-up , Miss New Jersey 1983 , Suzette Charles . She was the first Miss America to give up her crown . Thirty-two years later , in September 2015 , when Williams served as head judge for the Miss America 2016 pageant , former Miss America CEO Sam Haskell made a public apology to her for the events of 1984
Miss America 1984
Miss America 1984
Vanessa Williams and Miss America