Black First of the Day

1997

Tyra Banks (1973-)

The first black woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated high profile swimsuit issue was supermodel Tyra Banks in 1997. Banks was born on Los Angeles and began her modeling career in Paris, France, in 1991. She left Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles two days before classes started to accept an offer to model in the Fall haute couture shows in Paris. There she was booked for twenty-five shows, then a record for a newcomer. Banks later landed several lucrative deals, including the Sports Illustrated assignment and a multipage advertising campaign for American designer Ralph Lauren. Cosmetics giant CoverGirl hired her, making her the second black to receive a long-term contract with that company. Banks appeared in a number of television shows, including the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Her film credits include Higher Learning. Banks later promoted a line of greeting cards for Children+Families. Another line, Cards From the Heart, was created by young children; she uses them to promote literacy among children in troubled environments.

Sources: Contemporary Black Biography, vol.11, pp. 9-11.

From Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Events by Jessie Carney Smith, © 2013 Visible Ink Press®. A celebration of achievement, accomplishments and pride.