Appreciation: Naomi Sims, the First Black Supermodel

Tall, striking, confident and chiseled, Naomi Sims forever changed how America defines beauty. Sims, who died Aug. 1 of cancer at age 61, was one of the first black supermodels, and her appearance on the cover of Ladies’ Home Journal in 1968 broke the color barrier for major women’s magazines. She was not the only successful black model of that era–Donyale Luna was another–but she was the first darker-skinned beauty to enjoy such success.

Born in Oxford, Miss., in 1948, Sims endured a troubled childhood in Pittsburgh, Pa., that included time spent in foster care. (She later credited her upbringing with fueling her drive and determination.) When she arrived in New York City in 1966, modeling agencies turned her down, pronouncing her “too dark.” Undeterred, Sims forged ahead on her own, landing a photo spread with the New York Times by contacting a photographer directly.

At a time when “Black is beautiful” was becoming a rallying cry, Sims helped illustrate the mantra for people of all colors. But for those with darker skin, she was a revelation, a woman who opened the runway door and made it possible for brown girls everywhere to embrace their beauty.

Goff is an author and a political commentator