Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963 in Millwood, New York) is a pop/R&B singer and actress who made history when she became the first African American woman to be crowned Miss America in September, 1983. She resigned close to the end of her reign on July 23, 1984, however, when it was discovered that she had posed nude for photographs that were later published in the September 1984 issue adult magazine Penthouse without her permission. The crown was given to Suzette Charles 54 days before the 1984 pageant.

Williams was born in New York City to two teachers; she and her brother grew up in the suburbs of NYC. Propheticly her parents put "Here she is Miss America" on her birth announcement. (Entertainment Tonight December 11 2005) She received a scholarship and attended Syracuse University, but later dropped out of college to pursue a career in entertainment.

Until the late 1990s, Vanessa Lynn Williams was known simply as "Vanessa Williams". However, when she went to get her Screen Actors Guild card, she had to register as "Vanessa L. Williams" because another Vanessa Williams was already a member.

Williams managed to rise above the Miss America scandal and become a popular singer with her 1988 debut album, The Right Stuff, which reached gold status and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist. Her most notable songs include "Dreamin'", "Running Back To You", "Save The Best For Last", "Love Is", "The Sweetest Days", "Colors of the Wind", and "Oh How The Years Go By". Throughout her career, Williams has sold six million records and received fifteen Grammy nominations.

In 2005, Vanessa released her eighth studio album, Everlasting Love, a collection of covers of her favorite 1970s songs.