Almost 50 years after model Donyale Luna graced the January 1965 cover of Harper’s Bazaar, black cover girls — and guys — remain woefully underrepresented. Month after month, issue after issue, magazines tout beauty solutions that are largely irrelevant to women who aren’t white, and don’t bother to reflect the full spectrum of their readers in editorial spreads. There is (some) yield when it comes to (some) celebrities. Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, and Rihanna are among the rarefied list of black stars that land multiple covers. But the fact remains, models that aren’t Caucasian have a slim chance of becoming magazine cover girls. In spite of these odds, even during some of most contentious moments in America’s racial history, black models have broken through. Iman, Renauld White, Beverly Peele, Louise Vyent, Jourdan Dunn, and Chanel Iman are just a few of the models that have smiled, winked, and pouted from fashion’s top covers. Here, we, salute the firsts, and give you an update on where they landed after their glam-filled youths. Where are the world’s first black cover girls and guys now? Read below to learn more.
The Model: Donyale Luna
The Covers: Harper’s Bazaar January 1965, British Vogue March 1966
Where She Was Then:
When photographer David McCabe spotted the 18-year-old stunner born Peggy Anne Freeman in Detroit, he invited her to try her hand at modeling in New York. Once in Manhattan, Luna met Harper’s Bazaar’s top editor Nancy White. Taken by Luna’s beauty, White had an illustrator sketch Luna’s portrait; the portrait became the magazine’s inaugural black cover. Months later, Luna left New York for London where she almost instantly became a photographer’s muse. In March 1966, she landed the cover of British Vogue—the first African-American to do so. Luna’s groundbreaking covers catapulted her to “It” status. Sammy Davis, Jr, Salvador Dali, and Michael Caine were among her social set, and in the late ‘60s and ‘70s she enjoyed a hyphenate career as a model and actress appearing in films helmed by Federico Fellini, Otto Preminger, and her friend Andy Warhol. In 1977, she gave birth to her only daughter Dream, whom she had with Italian photographer Luigi Cazzaniga.
Where She is Now:
Drugs got the better of the model on May 17, 1979, the day she died of an accidental heroin overdose. Luna was 32 years old.
The Model: Katiti Kironde
The Cover: Glamour August 1968
Where She Was Then:
Upon the encouragement of then-Editor-in-Chief of Mademoiselle Magazine (a family friend), Kironde entered Glamour’s “Top Ten Best Dressed College Girls” contest. She won, becoming the magazine’s first African-American cover girl. The August 1968 issue she graced remains Glamour’s bestselling issue of all time. Kironde admits she didn’t get the magnitude of her cover’s meaning at the time. “Did I say this is a triumph because I’m black? No.” At 18, she says, she was just thrilled to be on a magazine; and ignored the petty comments that came along with the distinction. “Some people said ‘she’s on the cover because she’s the daughter of an Ambassador.’” Kironde’s father was Uganda’s first Ambassador to the UN. While others said “’The first black woman would have to be African—why couldn’t be African-American?’” Of course, with the perspective of time and age, Kironde realizes the gravity of her face on Glamour’s cover mere months after Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated.
Where She is Now:
Kironde has not been resting on her looks. She has built a three-decade long career in design working for retail brands like Laura Ashley and TJ Maxx subsidiary Marmaxx Group. She is currently Assistant Professor of Fashion Design & Marketing at Fisher College in Boston; and President of the Kironde Education and Health Fund, which supports orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. In 2010, she launched a line of classic white shirts which she plans to create a follow-up collection for next year.
The Model: Naomi Sims
The Covers: Ladies Home Journal November 1968, LIFE October 17, 1969
Where She Was Then:
In 1966, Naomi Ruth Sims was a student at Manhattan’s Fashion Institute of Technology when she decided to try modeling for extra cash. Rather than wait for a photographer/editor to discover her, the Oxford, Mississippi native discovered herself. She approached modeling agencies and lensmen, and as a result earned the cover of the New York Times’ fashion supplement in August 1967. A national AT&T campaign followed, and in November 1968 she landed the Ladies Home Journal cover. She went on to become the first African-American the cover of LIFE Magazine too.
Where She is Now:
After five years modeling, business-minded Sims started an eponymous company borne of her experiences with stylists who did not know how what to do with black hair and dark skin. The multi-million dollar Naomi Sims Collection initially featured wigs, later expanding to cosmetics, fragrance, and beauty salons. She also penned the books How To Be a Top Model and All About Health and Beauty for the Black Woman. Sims succumbed to cancer August 1, 2009. She was 61. The Model: Beverly Johnson
The Covers: American Vogue August 1974, French Elle 1975
Where She Was Then:
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Johnson was doing double duty as a model and Manhattan shop girl (waiting on high-end clients like Jackie Onassis), when her agent informed her: “Beverly, you got it… The Vogue cover!” Johnson said of the coup, “I had had other covers in the United States and abroad, but getting the cover of Vogue was the gold medal.” A year later, she became French Elle’s first black cover girl.
Where She is Now:
Johnson is an actress, author, whose name has sold her eponymous collection of wig and beauty care supplies. Most recently, she starred in Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds and executive-produced the reality series Beverly’s Full House on Oprah’s OWN channel.
The Model: B. Smith
The Cover: Mademoiselle July 1976
Where She Was Then:
Pittsburgh native Barbara Smith got her start on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood playing a model on a 1969 episode. In the 1970s, she worked as an EBONY Fashion Fair model, and began going by her first initial “B” when she called modeling agency Wilhelmina for appointments. In 1976, Smith ended Mademoiselle’s white-only cover girl streak when her image covered the July issue.
Where She is Now:
In 1986, Smith transitioned from fashion to food, opening her first of three B. Smith restaurants. She soon extended B. Smith into a home enteratining brand, releasing the book B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends in 1995 and, in 1999, hosting the syndicated series B. Smith With Style. She hosted the show for nearly a decade, and has since penned two more books. In September 2012, Smith was inducted into the American Chef Corps, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of State and the James Beard Foundation. As part of the Corps, Smith helps prepare meals for foreign leaders and participates in public diplomacy programs.
The Model: Urs Althaus
The Cover: GQ November 1977
Where He Was Then:
When the Swiss-Nigerian model completed his business studies; he broke into modeling, walking the runways for designers including Valentino, Armani, and Calvin Klein. In 1977, he became the first ever black model to cover the gentleman’s mag GQ.
Where He is Now:
From 1978 to 2001, Althaus took on different roles in the modeling/fashion industry. According to his imdb bio, he created a model ensemble called Xtazy Ltd, then co-founded the fashion label Gary Gatys Ltd before working as an agent. During this time, Althaus was also building a career on the big and small screen. He stars in the upcoming German film Simplify Your Soul.
The Model: Naomi Campbell
The Cover: French Vogue August 1988
Where She Was Then:
As a kid, London-born Naomi Campbell appeared in Bob Marley and Culture Club music videos; by the ripe old age of 15 she was discovered by a modeling scout. Her inaugural shoot landed the cover of British Elle, and at 18 she became the first black model to cover Vogue’s Paris edition. The backstory goes Yves Saint Laurent vowed to yank his ads from the magazine if they didn’t put Campbell on the cover.
Where She is Now:
The legendary model went on to dominate the 1990s era of the supermodel covering countless magazines including Time and appearing in music videos. In 2000, she launched the first of seven perfumes. In 2005, she helped found Fashion for Relief to raise money for survivors of disasters and related non-profits. In 2013, Campbell premiered new reality modeling competition The Face. She stars on the show and serves as executive producer.
The Model: Tyra Banks
The Cover: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition January 26, 1996, GQ February 1996, Victoria’s Secret catalog 1996
Where She Was Then:
Scouted at 17, Banks left her native Los Angeles in 1991 to walk Europe’s runways. After two years, the Cali girl set her sights on Hollywood, landing a role on popular NBC sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. From 1993 to 1995, Banks starred in Higher Learning, Love & Basketball and Coyote Ugly. Still modeling throughout, she landed the coveted cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition at the top of 1996, covering GQ the following month. That year, she was also chosen to cover the Victoria’s Secret catalog. In all three cover cases, Banks was the first African-American to do so. Where She is Now: Banks famously transitioned from modeling to create a lifestyle empire focused on demystifying the modeling business. She released a book called Tyra’s Beauty Inside & Out in 1998, and launched the instant hit show America’s Next Top Model. She went on to host and executive produce an eponymous talk show via which she earned two Emmys. In 2010, she left her daytime talk show and a year later launched fashion and beauty destination typeF.com. In 2011, she released the novel Modelland, the first of a planned book trilogy inspired by her experiences as a model.
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is a fashion blogger and the author of ‘Powder Necklace.’ Follow Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond on Twitter at @nanaekua.