Former Miss America Vanessa Williams has been named the head judge of the 2016 Miss America Pageant, organizers announced Tuesday.
Williams was crowned Miss America in 1983, becoming the first African-American woman to win the pageant, but not without controversy. The model, who has found success in virtually all areas of the entertainment industry, was forced to resign 10 months after winning the crown when nude photos from her past appeared in Penthouse magazine.
In celebration of her return to the “Miss America” stages Sunday, US Weekly uncovered video of the “Ugly Betty” star being crowned Miss America for the first time in 1983.
Since her debut release with, “The Right Stuff” in 1988, Williams has sold over 7 million records worldwide, and has scored numerous #1 and Top 10 hits on various Billboard Album and singles charts: Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary, Holiday, Latin, Gospel and Jazz.
Williams has also worked in film, television, recordings and on Broadway. She has received 4 Emmy nominations, 17 Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination, 3 SAG award nominations, 7 NAACP Image Awards, 3 Satellite Awards and ultimately a Golden Globe, Grammy and an Oscar for Best Original Song for her platinum single “Colors of the Wind,” from the Disney film “Pocahontas.”
The 2016 Miss America Competition airs live from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Sept. 13 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Watch the video above.