Women & Gender/Latin Americas/Africana Studies Trivia Question 5

Who became the first African-American to be pictured on the cover of Vogue Magazine?

a. Beverly Johnson
b. Inman
c. Pat Cleveland
d. Naomi Sims

The answer is A, Beverly Johnson!

In August 1974, she became the first black woman to be featured on the front of the magazine. Beverly Johnson was a 21 years when she went into the photo studio with legendary photographer Francesco Scavullo. Before the Vogue shoot, Johnson had already made a name for herself at Glamour, which had been featuring black cover models since 1968. Johnson became a poster child for the American civil rights movement practically overnight, her name mentioned in the same breath as that of the Rev. Jesse Jackson (who was, all of a sudden, calling her to discuss race relations in America).
Info taken from the Los Angeles Times, August 16, 2009 "Beverly Johnson recalls her Vogue cover" byCaroline Ryder

Stay curious,

Team ARC