Which supermodel was the first Black woman on the cover of American Vogue in 1974?

Beverly Johnson became the first Black woman on the cover of American Vogue in August 1974.

Johnson was photographed for the cover by Francesco Scavullo. Her appearance marked a significant moment in American fashion publishing, where Black models had historically been underrepresented on major magazine covers. She had already built a successful modeling career and had appeared in other fashion publications before Vogue.

The achievement is sometimes confused with later milestones involving other magazines. Donyale Luna was the first Black model on the cover of British Vogue, in 1966, while Naomi Campbell became the first Black model on the cover of French Vogue in 1988.

Johnson also became a successful businesswoman and television personality. Her Vogue cover is remembered not simply as a modeling credit, but as a visible challenge to the limited racial representation common in high-fashion media during the twentieth century.