Naomi Sims died from breast cancer at the age of 61 on Saturday, August 1, 2009. The Mississippi-born model was dubbed the “first black supermodel” and paved the way for other black models like Pat Cleveland and Naomi Campbell.

In 1968, Sims became the first black model to appear on the cover of Ladies Home Journal and also appeared on the covers on Life Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Essence. She modeled for designers like Halston and Bill Blass and appeared in a national AT&T television commercial.

Sims was beloved by designers and as Halston told The New York Times in 1974: “Naomi was the first. She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers.”

After retiring from the runway, Sims started a successful wig-making business specializing in wigs for black women. She also began a cosmetics line and wrote several books and a teen advice column for Right On! magazine.