It’s October 1971, and history is being made all over the world. John Lennon releases “Imagine.” In Orlando, Florida, Walt Disney World finally opens. Just outside of London, the first ever CAT scan is performed on a human. And on newsstands across the US, model Darine Stern is cementing her name in history by becoming the magazine’s first ever Black cover model as well as the first Black woman to appear on the cover of a magazine in general.
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Who is Darine Stern?
Darine Stern was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 16, 1947. In the late 1960s, Stern worked as a hostess and a bank teller. One fortuitous day, she was asked to pose for a picture by a photographer visiting the bank she was working at. These photos eventually got in front of the PLAYBOY editorial staff, and the rest is centerfold history.
After her history-making cover, Stern didn’t rest on her laurels. She moved to New York to become a professional model, and was represented by agencies including Ford Models, Shirley Hamilton Models, and Ellen Harth. During this time, she appeared on runways around the country and the world. She later founded the Darine Stern Agency, to foster the next generation of models.
Sadly, Stern died on February 5, 1994 at the age of 46 from complications due to breast cancer.
Was Darine Stern the first Black model to appear in PLAYBOY?
Darine Stern was the first Black model to appear alone on the cover of PLAYBOY magazine. While she was the first Black model to make the cover, Jennifer Jackson and Jean Bell both served as Playmates of the Month before her.
Learn more about our Playmates here.
