In 1983, Vanessa Williams became the first black woman to win Miss America. In 1984, a few weeks from the end of her reign, she was forced to step down when she found out Penthouse was going to publish unauthorized nude images of her in their magazine. Williams went on to have a successful singing career and star in movies, but her career trajectory tells more than the story of a black beauty icon who overcame obstacles to make it in Hollywood. It's a story that echoes the legacies of racism, colorism, tokenism and misogynoir (the misogyny experienced specifically by black women) in 20th century Hollywood and how, as a result, black women — from Williams to Whitney Houston — have had to display exceptional talent to make the case that their images are worth circulating and celebrating as beautiful.
This episode was written and performed by Cassie da Costa, an entertainment writer for The Daily Beast. She lives in Ojai, California.
75: The Blacklist Part 5: The Strange Love of Barbara Stanwyck: Robert Taylor
74: The Blacklist Part 4: The African Queen: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn and John Huston
Blacklist Flashback: Bogey Before Bacall
73: The Blacklist Part 3: Dorothy Parker
72: The Blacklist Part 2: Crossfire – The Trials of the Hollywood Ten
71: The Blacklist Part 1: The Prehistory of the Blacklist
70: MGM Stories Part 15: Mayer’s Downfall
69: MGM Stories Part 14: Elizabeth Taylor, The MGM Years
68: MGM Stories Part 13: Gloria Grahame
67: MGM Stories Part 12: Lana Turner
66: MGM Stories Part 11: David O. Selznick Part Two: Jennifer Jones and Robert Walker
65: MGM Stories Part 10: David O. Selznick Part One: The Mayers and Gone With the Wind
64: MGM Stories Part 9: Spencer Tracy
63: MGM Stories Part 8: Eddie Mannix
62: MGM Stories Part 7: MGM's children: Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
61: MGM Stories Part 6: Jean Harlow
60: MGM Stories Part 5: William Haines and Hollywood’s First Openly Gay Marriage
59: MGM Stories Part 4: John Gilbert and Greta Garbo
58: MGM Stories Part 3: Buster Keaton’s Biggest Mistake
57: MGM Stories Part 2: Marion Davies, William Randolph Hearst, and Citizen Kane
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