Another Lesson In Black History…Who Was The First Black Model To Cover American Vogue and French Elle Magazine?

Beverly Johnson was the first black model to cover American Vogue on the 1974 August issue and French Elle a year later, becoming the first black model to cover both publications.

Beverly Johnson

Beverly got her start after landing a job with Glamour magazine, soon after her career begins to take off. Johnson signed with the Ford Modeling Agency and was one of the highest-paid models in the industry in a very short period of time.

She has walked the runway for such designers as Yves St. Laurent, Valentino, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. She has graced over 500 magazine covers throughout her career. After her appearance on the cover of Vogue, her look changed the ideal of beauty in fashion and by 1975, every major American Fashion Designer was in pursuit of African American models.

Vogue

French Elle

Beverly has done everything from books, t.v. and movies to starting own her line of wigs, and hair care products.

She has been referred to as the Jackie Robinson of modeling.  The New York Times named her as one of the “20th Century’s 100 Most Influential People in the Fashion Industry.” She was featured on the cover of Glamour magazine’s 50th Anniversary issue, the well known publication that gave Beverly her first break in the 70s.

 In 2008, she received a Thurgood Marshall award for style and innovation, and in 2009, her historic Vogue magazine cover was featured in the “Models as Muse” exhibit at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Beverly Johnson has helped open doors for other aspiring black models.

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