Beverly Ann Johnson is an American model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. Johnson rose to fame when she became the first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue in August 1974, after Donyale Luna was the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in 1966.
Danny Sims: Meet Beverly Johnson’s second husband
Johnson’s acting career stalled in the 1980s as her personal life became more complicated. In 1977, she married her second husband, Danny Sims, a music producer and publisher.
The couple had a daughter, Anansa, before separating in 1979. When the couple’s divorce became final, Johnson lost custody of her daughter to her former husband. While Johnson had some visitation rights, she felt restricted from seeing her daughter.
Johnson fought for custody of her daughter for nearly a decade, spending nearly all her money and causing her much emotional distress. She also had some health concerns, including thyroid problems, perhaps caused by dieting to keep her weight down. Johnson later admitted that she was anorexic and bulimic. To address these issues, she joined Overeaters Anonymous in 1986.