Beverly Johnson

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.