The History Of Black Models

We've decided not to dwell on the steady disappearance of the Black model over the past several seasons (too depressing). Instead, let's focus on the glorious, glamorous history of the Black model over the past fifty years. From Donyale Luna to Chanel Iman, here is a definitive timeline of the most legendary Black models.

Dorothea Towles, 1950

Born in Texarcana in 1922, gorgeous Dorothea Towles was the first top black model to work in Paris. As a teen, she modeled exclusively for black magazines Stateside—but during a two-month vacation to Paris in 1949, she was discovered by Christian Dior, and embarked on a wildly successful career as one of the most celebrated models in Europe. During her career, she was a favorite of designers like Pierre Balmain and Elsa Schaperelli. In 1954, she returned home and began organizing fashion shows at black colleges, showing her own couture line. Fifty years later, Towles reminisced on her time as the toast of Paris, telling WWD, "For once I was not considered black, African American or Negro. I was just an American."

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1 of 29 Dorothea Towles, 1950

Sara Lou Harris, 1954

In the late 1940s and '50s, Sara Lou Harris was one of the top Black models in the country. Beyond being the most recognized runway star on the Ebony Fashion Fair circuit, Harris holds the distinction of being the first model of color to appear in a national advertisment.

2 of 29 Sara Lou Harris, 1954

Donyale Luna, 1967

Supermodel Donayale Luna was one of the world's most beautiful women in the 1960s. Born Peggy Ann Freeman in Detroit, Luna began modeling in 1965 and within months, an article in Time magazine declared 1966 to be "The Luna Year." She was the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue, was a muse to legendary photographers like Richard Avedon and David Bailey, and vamped through several Warhol and Fellini films. Famously a fan of LSD, the devastatingly beautiful model died of a drug overdose at 39.

3 of 29 Donyale Luna, 1967

Naomi Sims, 1971

In the late '60s and early '70s, Mississippi-born Naomi Sims' dazzling smile graced hundreds of runways and magazines covers all over the world. At the height of her career, in 1973, Sims retired from modeling to start her own wildly successful wig line and cosmetics company for women of color. The trailblazing beauty passed away from breast cancer in 2009.

4 of 29 Naomi Sims, 1971

Pat Cleveland, 1973

In the '70s, no one worked a runway like supermodel Pat Cleveland. She was discovered by a Vogue editor in 1967 while walking to Manhattan's LaGuardia Performing Arts School, and by 1970, she was living in Paris and setting the fashion world ablaze. The black/Cherokee/Irish stunner dazzled the likes of Halston, Steven Burrows and Yves Saint Laurent, and set the standard for runway walking with her ethereal dance-prance. These days, she's passed the torch to her lookalike model daughter, Anna von Ravenstein.

5 of 29 Pat Cleveland, 1973

Beverly Johnson, 1974

Gorgeous Beverly Johnson made worldwide headlines when she became the first Black model to land the cover of American Vogue in 1974. Her cover had such a powerful affect on the fashion industry that, by 1975, all of the major mainstream magazines had run a woman of color on the cover. Not content to just be one of the world's most famous faces, Johnson went on to act in several movies; star as celebrity judge on the TV Land reality series, She's Got the Look; and launch the uber-popular Beverly Johnson Hair Collection line of wigs for African American women. Beverly's daughter, Anansa, has followed in her mother's footsteps, launching a fabulous career as a plus-size model.

6 of 29 Beverly Johnson, 1974

Iman, 1975

One of the most versatile, wildly glamorous models to ever grace a runway or a glossy, Iman Abdulmajid was discovered by photographer Peter Beard while at Nairobi University in 1975. She immediately moved to America and never looked back. After enjoying two decades as one of the industry's greatest faces (that endless neck!)—as well as acting in films like "Exit to Eden" and "No Way Out"—the Somalian stunner decided to become a businesswoman. In 1994, she started Iman Cosmetics for women of color; in 2000 she launched I-Iman Makeup for the global consumer; and in 2007, she debuted Iman Global Chic, a collection of beauty, accessories and apparel for Home Shopping Network.

7 of 29 Iman, 1975

Mounia, 1978

Martinique-born supermodel Mounia was not only one of the top Black models in the late '70s, she was designer Yves Saint Laurent's greatest inspiration. In 2008, she told WWD, "I was YSL's first black muse…he called me Moumounn. The collection that made me a celebrity was the one inspired by Porgy and Bess. Catherine Deneuve stood up and started clapping! After that I had more than fifteen covers." After conquering the print and runway world, Mounia became an artist in the '90s. Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries across France, the Ivory Coast, Monaco, Japan and Guyana.

8 of 29 Mounia, 1978

Grace Jones, 1980

Born in Jamaica in 1948, Grace Jones took the modeling world by storm as a fabulously androgynous 1970s supermodel—but soon, her unforgettable voice took center stage. Inspired by everything from David Bowie to reggae, Jones became a dance music diva, releasing albums like "Nightclubbing" and "Slave to the Rhythm." Her to-the-max personal style made her a muse to the most exciting artists of the era (think Andy Warhol, Basquiat and wildman designer Thierry Mugler).

9 of 29 Grace Jones, 1980

Waris Dirie, 1985

'80s supermodel Waris Dirie was born into a nomadic tribe in Somalia, and ran away at age thirteen to avoid marriage a much older man. After working odd jobs in London, she was discovered by photographer Terence Donovan, who shot her for her the cover of the 1987 Pirelli calendar. From there, she became a star, landing ads for Chanel, Levi's, L'Oréal and Revlon. She's become an outspoken activist against female genital mutilation, and wrote two bestselling memoirs, "Desert Dawn" and "Desert Flower" about her experience with the atrocity. A film about Waris' fascinating life starring Liya Kebede (flawless casting!) is currently in the works.

10 of 29 Waris Dirie, 1985

28 of 29 Essence

The History Of Black Models

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