In 2001, Andrews was the first African American to win the Writers Guild of America award for Original Long Form, for her script for this miniseries.
Andrews attended Harlan Community Academy High School, where she participated in Modern Dance, Student Council and Drama Club.
[1] Andrews spent many years acting in such series as Days of Our Lives, where she originated the role of Valerie Grant from 1975 to 1977.
Andrews' had guest appearances as characters on many shows, including The Odd Couple, Love Story, Sanford and Son, Good Times and The Brady Bunch.
Craig Anderson had optioned the rights to historian Fawn McKay Brodie's 1974 biography of Jefferson, which had explored the possibility of the long-rumored relationship with Hemings.
[7] Following the production of the miniseries in 2000, Andrews published the non-fiction book Sally Hemings: An American Scandal: The Struggle to Tell the Controversial Truth (2001).
[9] In 1999, Andrews received a nomination at the Acapulco Black Film Festival for Best Screenplay for the 1998 movie Why Do Fools Fall in Love.
That year, Andrews also won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie, Miniseries or Special.
[1] In 2003, Andrews won the MIB/Prism Filmmaker Image Award, and she received a proclamation from the City Council of New York that year.