First Black woman on American Vogue. 1974. Changed beauty forever.
In August 1974, Beverly Johnson became the first Black woman on the cover of American Vogue. Full stop. That single cover shattered a barrier that the fashion industry had maintained for 82 years. The issue sold out. Johnson went on to appear on over 500 magazine covers and build a successful hair care line. She later broke silence about being drugged by Bill Cosby in a 2014 Vanity Fair essay that helped spark wider accountability. Her Vogue cover didn't just change fashion — it changed who was allowed to be considered beautiful in America.

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