Naomi Sims, arguably the first black "supermodel" and businesswoman passed away from cancer on Saturday at her home in New Jersey. If ever there was a self-made woman, Naomi was it. She overcame a difficult childhood which included the divorce of her parents, an absentee father, and several stints in foster care to become on of the most recognizable black women in the 1960s and 70s. Undeterred by agencies and designers that refused to hire the beauty, she forced down doors in the fashion industry. She sent photos of herself to dozens and dozens of ad agencies and created demand for herself. After she gave up modeling, she had a successful career producing a line of wigs, writing books, and even launching her own skincare line (which was incidentally, the first that I ever purchased from Nordstroms right before I left home for college.) She is survived by her son.
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