This is how you do it!It was 1984. Vanessa Williams was surrounded on all sides. Some people were angry when she won Ms. America including some pr
This is how you do it!
It was 1984. Vanessa Williams was surrounded on all sides. Some people were angry when she won Ms. America including some prominent members of the Black community. As if that was not enough. A so-called “men’s magazine” posted pictures she took in college. The kind of pictures a young unwise female student might take if she needs quick cash. Then….embarrassment, shame, humiliation.
Apparently she was disgusting for taking the pictures but much older men who ought to know better were not disgusting for passing the pictures around everywhere and making what they thought were “jokes” about her situation the center of their “comic routines” and stand up.
These people cut up and basked in shameless foolishness. This was not the fun kind of roller coaster dip. The initial elation that came with her win crashed and some people enjoyed it.
The night she won, (with Suzette Charles as the runner up) I vividly recall my mom and I jumping up and down and being elated, but after the pictures I was sure that I would never hear from her again. I think that a lot of us, millions, believed the same. BUT we had no idea who Vanessa Williams was or what she was made of. None. No clue.
Authentically Self-Defined
The next thing we knew it was four years later. 1988. The video for “The Right Stuff” hit and that was all she wrote.
Who was this woman? Pageant Vanessa Williams sang a brilliant version of “Happy Days Are Here Again“. Who dis? This was not that girl.
“The Right Stuff” is decisively a bopping blend of hip-hop, RnB, new jack swing, and jazz with matching in your face funky choreography. Miss Williams even hit a little rap for a couple seconds. Unbelievable sorcery. Okay. We were paying close attention. We were impressed and we still are.
She was on camera unashamed, self-assured, confident, and bravely digging deep into her formal training. Dancing, singing, and looking more fabulous than her Miss America days doing it. She was supposed to run away and hide for the rest of her life and here she was leaning on her talent, training, and inner fortitude to do the opposite.
Only years later would we learn that she had seamlessly pivoted into this genre direction after doors were closed to her.
Vanessa Williams is a ceiling breaking entertainer! Her show always goes on. Vanessa Williams is a Survivor! Her life always carries on. Our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be chattering about and studying her obstacle breaking accomplishments.
Vanessa Williams has been a personal inspiration since the night I saw her become Miss America. May she have joy and peace in abundance on her birthday and many days to come.♥
”Vanessa Williams’ memoir, You Have No Idea, co-written with her mother, Helen Williams, offers an intimate look into her life, career, and the challenges she faced. The book delves into her upbringing in Millwood, New York, as part of one of the town’s few Black families, and her early defiance against her mother’s guidance during her teenage years. ” Wikipedia+5Barnes & Noble+5Amazon+5
“A significant portion of the memoir addresses Vanessa’s historic achievement as the first African-American Miss America in 1983 and the subsequent controversy that led to her resignation. Despite the setback, she rebuilt her career, becoming an award-winning singer and actress.” PenguinRandomhouse.com+3Barnes & Noble+3Amazon+3
“The narrative also explores Vanessa’s personal struggles, including her experiences with racism, sexual abuse, and the complexities of her relationships and marriages. Throughout these challenges, the unwavering support of her mother, Helen, played a crucial role in her resilience and success.” Wikipedia+4
“You Have No Idea is not just a memoir but a testament to the enduring bond between mother and daughter, highlighting themes of perseverance, love, and the pursuit of one’s destiny.”
