Naomi Sims: March 30, 1948 - Aug. 1 --- Sims is widely credited as being the first African American supermodel. Her key breakthrough came when she was selected for a national television campaign for AT&T, which showed her and two other models -- one white and one Asian -- wearing fashions by Bill Blass. After modeling, she expanded into a multimillion-dollar beauty empire and at least five book on modeling and beauty. She died of cancer.
