Sad loss of a fashion icon.

Reports have appeared in The New York Times that Naomi Sims, has died age 61 from cancer. Naomi Sims was the first black woman to appear on the cover of Ladies Home Journal in 1968 and she went on to appear in Cosmopolitan, Life and The Times Style Magazine.

In a 1974 New York Times article, designer Halston said, “Naomi was the first. She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers.”

It has been said that Ms. Sims paved the way for models such as Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, and Chanel Iman, with a determination that she attributed to her inspiration to do well following a challenging childhood.

In her lifetime she did not only model and push the boundaries as an ambassador for black people, she also ran her own business and wrote books such as “All About Health and Beauty for the Black Woman,” “How to Be a Top Model” and “All About Success for the Black Woman.” She also wrote an advice column for teenage girls in Right On! magazine.

Naomi Sims, fashion pioneer and an ambassador for diversity and inclusion, will be missed.