Black History Month: Top 5 Black Supermodels Who Made Way For Other Colored Models

 We're closing out the official Black History Month with a fashion celebration of the most elegant black models who made room for other colored models to emerge. While fair-skinned models flood the runways, these dark-skinned beauties prove that true beauty and talent transcends. Check out the list of the top 5 black models who made history with their successful modeling careers and find out who haves the title of the first black supermodel of all times.

5. Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks is the epitome of sexy on the runway. She began modeling in 11th grade, and in 1996, Tyra made history as the first-ever black model to grace the cover of Sport's Illustrated. She also received the VH1 Supermodel of the Year Award in 1997 and since then, the supermodel has graced the pages of top magazines including Maxim and GQ. This fashion maven also sees herself as a mentor, telling UK's Channel 4, "We need every culture represented in fashion to show that young girl that she matters, that she exists, and that she is beautiful." While we sure do miss seeing Ms. Tyra strut her stuff on the Victoria's Secret runway, we do enjoy watching her on the most successfull modelshow America's Next Top Model and her own talkshow called The Tyra Banks Show. She has been named one of the World’s Most Influential People by Time Magazine several times, and is one of the four Black women to hold this repeated distinction.

4. Iman

Iman Abdulmajid, who is simply known by her first name, is the Somali beauty and wife of rocker David Bowie who was discovered by famous photographer Peter Beard while she was still in college. Few in modeling history have established staying power like Iman. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, she was discovered in 1975 at 20. Iman proves sheer versatility, with several books, a successful makeup line worth $25 million and her role as host on Bravo's The Fashion Show. This ageless beauty was recently the recipient of the CFDA Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award.

If you rocked colorful African-inspired headwraps that were at least six inches high, a smoky eye, and over-sized earrings in the ‘90s, you were rooting for her signature look.

3. Naomi Campbell

No fashion list would be complete without international supermodel, Naomi Campbell. She may have anger issues, but the British bombshell has been killing the runways for over 20 years. She was the only black “member” of the original gang of 90s supermodels (Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christi Turlington Think George Michael video - “Freedom”) who were on a first name basis with the world. Discovered in London at age 15 , this former ballerina is perhaps the most successful black model and model in general in the history of fashion. She was the first black model to appear on the covers of French Vogue and worked for major campaigns after that. She is also known for speaking out about the biases that exist against black models in the industry. She said once; "I feel a responsibility, because I’ve been given so many opportunities, and I’d like to see other girls of color presented with those same opportunities." Well Naomi, we are still rooting for ya!

2. Beverly Johnson
Beverly Johnson helped the world to take pleasurable notice of our wide noses and full lips when she shot a Vogue cover with photographer Francesco Scavullo, becoming the first woman of color to grace the front of the renowned glossy in 1974. A French Elle cover followed a year later, helping to jump-start the Buffalo native's career as one of the elite catwalkers of the seventies and eighties and pave the way for the Iman's, Naomi's, and Tyra's that followed.The New York Times cited her as one of the most instrumental people in fashion in the 20th century. Beverly Johnson was a champion swimmer in high school, and intended to become a lawyer after graduating from college. After experimenting with modeling while she was a student at Northeastern University, she began working steadily after her first assignment with Glamour magazine. Johnson later pursued an acting a career, and appeared in television shows like 3rd Rock From the Sun, Law & Order, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as well as movies, including Crossroads and The Meteor Man. She has launched a line of wigs in recent years, and as of 2010, released a line of hair care products available at Target.

1. The First Black Supermodel - Naomi Sims

The title of “First Black Supermodel” belongs to Naomi Ruth Sims. Sims was born in Mississippi, and was teased as a child for being so tall—by the time she was 13, she was already 5’10”. Naomi won a scholarship to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, and took night classes in psychology at NYU. When she saw that modeling work was slow, she approached Wilhelmina Cooper, a model that was started her own agency, and offered to market Cooper’s agency to the New York Times and give her a percentage of her earnings. In about a year, Sims was making about $1,000 a week modeling—which, most models would agree, was quite a feat in the 1960s (and even now). She was the first Black model to appear on the cover of Life magazine. As the first black supermodel, she shattered boundaries and made a name for herself in a fashion world that was still quite prejudiced in the 1960s and ‘70s. In 1973, Naomi Sims retired from modeling and she went on to become an author and entrepreneur with a multi-million dollar beauty empire. Sims passed away at the age of 61 in 2009 as a result of breast cancer. Her supermodel-turned-mogul business model undoubtedly inspired those who would come after her.