Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams has achieved historic firsts that set her apart. She was the first Black woman to win Miss America in 1984, a milestone that reshaped the pageant's image. In music, her single "Save the Best for Last" spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the most enduring love songs of the 1990s. On television, her performance as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty earned three consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations, making her one of the most acclaimed comedic villains of the era. She also received a Tony nomination for her Broadway turn in Into the Woods. In 2007, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing her status as a multi-talented entertainer.