She Was Too Dark to Model—Then Changed Fashion Forever

She Was Too Dark to Model—Then Changed Fashion Forever" VIDEO DESCRIPTION: They rejected her for being too dark. She became the first Black supermodel and built a beauty empire worth millions. This is the story of Naomi Sims—a woman who refused to let the fashion industry define her worth. Born in Oxford, Mississippi in 1948, she moved to New York in 1966 to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Every modeling agency turned her down, telling her explicitly that her dark skin disqualified her from the industry. But Naomi Sims didn't beg for permission. She contacted photographers directly, took control of her narrative, and in August 1967, became the first Black woman to appear on The New York Times fashion supplement cover. By November 1968, she shattered another barrier as the first Black model on the cover of Ladies' Home Journal—a moment The New York Times described as pivotal to the Black is Beautiful movement. Within a year, she was one of the highest-paid models of her era, earning $1,000 weekly. In October 1969, she became the first Black model on Life Magazine's cover. She worked with legendary designers like Halston and photographers including Richard Avedon and Francesco Scavullo. In 1973, at the height of her career, she retired from modeling and launched the Naomi Sims Collection—a revolutionary wig line designed specifically for Black women. The business generated $5 million in sales in its first year. She later expanded into cosmetics and fragrance, building a multimillion-dollar beauty empire. Naomi Sims also became an author, publishing four influential books: "All About Health and Beauty for the Black Woman" (1976), "How to Be a Top Model" (1979), "All About Hair Care for the Black Woman" (1982), and "All About Success for the Black Woman" (1982). Her legacy lives on in every Black model who walks a runway today—Beverly Johnson, Iman, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks—they all followed the path she carved through an industry that tried to shut her out. Naomi Sims died of breast cancer on August 1, 2009, at age 61, but her impact on fashion, beauty, and representation remains undeniable. #NaomiSims, #BlackHistory, #FashionHistory, #Supermodel, #BlackExcellence, #UntoldStories, #HiddenHistory, #Inspiration, #BlackIsBeautiful, #WomenInBusiness, #Entrepreneur, #FacebookReels, #HistoryMatters, #CivilRights, #Trailblazer, #Legacy, #BeautyIndustry, #FashionIcon, #Empowerment, #RepresentationMatters, #1960sFashion, #BreakingBarriers, #FacebookReelsTrend, #ViralContent, #ShareThisStory, #BlackGirlMagic, #WomenEmpowerment, #BusinessSuccess, #FashionLegends, #EducationalContent ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH Oral Tradition Documentation: Schmidt, Peter R. Oral Traditions, Archaeology and History: A Short Reflective History in Schmidt & Patterson (eds.) Making Alternative Histories (1995) Vansina, Jan Oral Tradition as History (1985) - Methodology for oral historical sources Henige, David The Chronology of Oral Tradition (1974) Haya Cultural Studies: Reining, Priscilla The Haya: The Agrarian System of a Sedentary People Dissertation, University of Chicago (1967) Carlsen, John Economic and Social Transformation in Rural Kenya (1980) - Regional context Katoke, Israel K. The Karagwe Kingdom: A History of the Abanyambo of Northwestern Tanzania (1975) AFRICAN METALLURGY STUDIES Regional Iron Age Research