"Naomi was the first. She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers." -- Halston told The New York Times in 1974.
Naomi Sims is widely credited as the first black supermodel for appearing on the cover of Ladies Home Journal in November 1968. Earlier on, agencies turned her away. Some citing that her skin as too dark. But Sims wouldn't let that keep her down. she contacted photographers herself and linked up with Wilhelmina Cooper to put out a magazine to promote both Sims and Cooper's new agency.
In a couple years, she was a celebrity and highly sought after. Modeling for Halston, Fernando Sánchez, Teal Traina, and Giorgio di Sant'Angelo. "The Model As Muse" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum displays two images: a 1967 New York Times fashion magazine cover and the other from a 1969 issue of LIFE. She continued modeling for 5 years to start a wig-making business targeting black women. The business expanded into a multimillion-dollar empire and she also authored books ("All About Health and Beauty for the Black Woman", "How to Be a Top Model" and "All About Success for the Black Woman") on modeling and beauty. In addition to being on scholarship at Fashion Institute of Technology she also took psychology courses at New York University. But pulled back on that when modeling took off. Sims passed away at age 61.
