28 Days Of Black History: Meet Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell Founder Of The First Black-Owned Modeling Agency…

Meet Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell Founder of The First Black Modeling Agency…

Ophelia DeVore Mitchell (August 12, 1922 – February 28, 2014)

Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell was one of the first African American models in the United States.  She changed the face of beauty within the fashion industry. Through her modeling agency and school, she promoted the careers of some of the country’s top African American models, entertainers and television personalities.  

Models at the Grace Del Marco Modeling Agency

Emma Ophelia DeVore was born on August 12, 1922, in Edgefield, South Carolina. She later moved to New York City with an Aunt where she attended Hunter College High School and went on to New York University majoring in mathematics and minored in languages.

Ophelia DeVore Mitchell

DeVore- Mitchell had been modeling since the age of 16. She enrolled in the Vogue School of modeling, which until that time had excluded women of color. As a fair-skinned person of African-American descent, she would “pass” for Norwegian and gain contracts throughout Europe. In 1946, Devore (along with some of her colleagues) created one of America’s first Black-owned model agencies, Grace Del Marco. “Grace” signaled elegance and style that is uniquely Ophelia’s, “Marco” was an acronym formed by the names of its founders: “M” from Marie Mayo, “A” from Albert Murphy, “R” from Rupert Callendar, “C” from Charles Mayo and “O” from Ophelia DeVore, and “Del” is Spanish for by.

Models at the Grace Del Marco Modeling Agency

Racism was rampant in New York’s fashion business and the Grace Del Marco Agency was one of the few places non-White models could gain work. The Grace Del Marco Model Agency models became pioneer image-builders in the minority communities. They inspired others and motivated them to reach out and seek higher, bigger, and more rewarding goals for themselves.

Ophelia DeVore Mitchell helping Barbara Barnes

The Grace Del Marco Model Agency has supported the social and professional aspirations of more than 20,000 students including stars like Helen Williams, Diahann Carroll, and Cicely Tyson. The agency taught black women etiquette, poise, speech, and ballet.

“I didn’t model a long time because that wasn’t my mission to be a model. My mission was to have us presented in a way that was not stereotyped”. 

 

For more information on Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell please click here

Sources: Ophelia Devore, Visionary Project, Ebony

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