The figure most widely recognized as the first Black supermodel is Donyale Luna, an American model and actress who rose to fame in the 1960s.

Quick Scoop: The first Black supermodel

  • Donyale Luna (born Peggy Ann Freeman in 1945 in Detroit) is generally cited as the first Black supermodel in fashion history.
  • In March 1966, she became the first Black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue, a milestone that shattered a major color barrier in high fashion.
  • Her striking height, surreal beauty, and avant‑garde persona made her a muse to top photographers and artists in Europe during the late 1960s.

Many fashion historians now point to that 1966 British Vogue cover and call 1966 the “Luna Year,” because of how radically she changed ideas of who could be a global fashion star.

But you’ll also hear Naomi Sims

Because the term “supermodel” is a bit fuzzy, some fashion writers and historians also credit Naomi Sims as the first Black supermodel, especially in the American context.

  • Naomi Sims emerged at the end of the 1960s and is widely credited as the first African‑American supermodel in U.S. mainstream media.
  • She appeared on major magazine covers like Ladies’ Home Journal (1968) and Life (1969), became a household name, and built a successful beauty business.

So, if someone asks “who was the first Black supermodel,” the most historically grounded answer is Donyale Luna , with Naomi Sims sometimes mentioned as an alternative “first” in the U.S. market.

Mini timeline

  1. 1965 – Luna’s image (as an illustration) appears on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, with her race obscured due to 1960s racism in U.S. publishing.
  1. 1966 – Luna becomes the first Black model on the cover of British Vogue, cementing her status as the first Black supermodel.
  1. Late 1960s–1970s – Luna works extensively in Europe’s high‑fashion scene and in art/film; Sims dominates U.S. commercial and editorial modeling and becomes known as the first African‑American supermodel in America.

Why this is trending again

  • Recent documentaries, magazine features, and online videos have brought Luna’s story back into the spotlight, framing her as “the first Black supermodel you’ve never heard of.”
  • Social media and forums often discuss how her legacy was overlooked for decades, compared with later stars like Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, and others.

TL;DR: Most fashion historians today say Donyale Luna was the first Black supermodel, thanks above all to her groundbreaking 1966 British Vogue cover, with Naomi Sims sometimes named as the first African‑American supermodel in the U.S.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.