These fashion and lifestyle magazine covers that featured fabulous, iconic Black actresses and models were groundbreaking with many of them being the first African-Americans to grace the issues. In Women’s History Month we are saluting these trailblazing women on being able to break the mold and inspire many! Our main girl Serena Williams just became the first African-American sports star to land Vogue and we’re totally here for it!
CoverGirl: 15 Iconic Black Women Magazine Covers
Many people don’t know the late model Donyale Luna who covered British Vogue (1966) and became one of the the first black models to ever have a solo Vogue cover.
In 1974 model Beverly Johnson made headlines as the very first African-American model to appear on a solo cover of American Vogue. In 2009 had this to say about her historic Vogue cover: ”I was lucky to have been part of something that gave generations of African-American women a sense of belonging that we did not have until then.”
This Naomi Campbell, Vogue (1989) cover was the first time that a black model had every made the fashion bible’s very important September Issue.
Naomi Campbell did it again back in Vogue Italia (2008) with an issue that exclusively featured black models. It was a groundbreaking issue for sure.
We were so psyched in January when British supermodel Jourdan Dunn made British Vogue’ (2015) cover. It’s key to note that she was the first black model who wasn’t a celebrity to land a solo British Vogue cover in more than a decade. Get it haute mama!
So the talented and beautiful Jennifer Hudson made history back in the spring of 2007 when she became the first African-American singer to appear on the cover of fashion magazine Vogue. And nope she wasn’t a size 2 either.
First Lady Michelle Obama graced the cover of Vogue magazine not once but twice — first in 2009 and then again in 2013.
And with her being the first African-American First Lady…well it’s just ‘firsts’ all around isn’t it?
Halle Berry also covered an American Vogue September (2010). She was only the second black woman on the cover since Naomi Campbell’s 1989 cover.
We’re totally #teamLupita so when she graced the cover of Vogue last summer we snatched up like five of them.The pages of her shoot were a fashionista’s dream.
How could we ever forget Rihanna’s racy V magazine shoot in March 2013 where she and the uber talented supermodel Kate Moss gave us plenty of skin, edge and seduction. This steamy shoot had so many layers to it — sexual orientation, male vs. female energy, race issues and so much more!
But Rihanna isn’t the first to show us a sexy cover. Sports Illustrated may not be a fashion magazine but supermodel Tyra Banks made history when she landed the SOLO cover as the first African-American model back in 1997.
Viola Davis looks simply radiant and powerful on this cover of Variety magazine last 2014… surely a groundbreaking cover for the star if not the magazine.
Rounding this out is Dorothy Dandridge’s groundbreaking Life magazine cover from November 1954. How beautiful does this talented late actress look here? #swoon
Today, Serena continues to lead in a pack of her own grace and power!
