When Vanessa Williams made history becoming the first Black woman to be crowned Miss America at the 1984 competition, the then-20-year-old became the talk of the nation.
Unfortunately, all of what was said about her wasn’t good talk. While many called her a role model and appreciated her groundbreaking win, Williams, now 61, says there were many others who sent racist comments and even death threats her way.
She recalls talk show host Johnny Carson making fun of her accomplishment. “When I had just won, one of my first appearances was in New York City, and I was staying at The Plaza,” Williams tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
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“I remember turning on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and his opening monologue was, ‘Did you hear we have the first Black Miss America? Yeah. They didn’t mention that Mr. T was one of the judges,'” recalls Williams. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s telling.'”
She believes Carson was insinuating that “there had to be one Black judge in order for me to win,” adding, “That’s just me as a twenty-year-old, realizing, ‘Oh, there is some stuff that’s still racist and prejudiced and tinged with attitude and judgment.'”
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She says that was just one of “so many instances” that she faced at the time. Things got exponentially worse following the nude photo scandal that cost her the crown, but still, she looks back on the many highlights of her pageant experience fondly.
“President Reagan called me after I won at the Resorts Hotel in my room and said it was a great thing for our country,” she says. “I burst into tears when I met Lena Horne because she was an idol.”
“I performed with Ray Charles on the USS. Being on The Love Boat was fun,” she adds. “It was a tremendous year. As terrifying as it was, it was incredible.”
For more from Vanessa Williams, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands every Friday.