Video: 'Miss America 1984 - Crowning Moment'

(Saturday, September 17, 1983, approximately 11:55 p.m. EDT) — Vanessa Williams, 20, of New York became the first African American to be named Miss America in the 62-year history of the pageant when she was crowned Miss America 1984 tonight in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Several weeks before the end of her reign, however, a scandal arose when Penthouse magazine bought and published 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.