Why watching Donyale Luna: Super Model Will Educate You

New York- Donyale Luna, late American supermodel was a trailblazer in the fashion industry. Despite her groundbreaking accomplishments as a woman of color in the 1960s, her legacy is relatively forgotten. Many say it was because of her mysterious persona.

Luna’s beauty made her the first- and influenced culture that was not as embracing to women of darker hues.

The Detroit native was scouted in 1963 by a fashion photographer David McCabe, who tried to convince her to move to Manhattan. No real idea of what it was or if she’d like it, especially at a time when modeling opportunities for black women didn't exist at all. She took the chance. Especially since she felt her tall uniqueness was not appreciated =, not understood in her native town.

Upon her arrival, Luna united with McCabe, who then took her to meet with top fashion editors around New York City. Luna made it and nailed it. But her past seemed to haunt her. Even being amongst celebrities such as artist Andy Warhol, who showed complete fascination and obsession with the six foot beauty wasn’t enough for her to hide from the memories that continued to chase her. The complexity of Luna embracing her true self - Lead her to denying what really made her the beauty she was. Understanding that she was not ashamed of being a black woman. She was erasing the trauma. Her way of internalizing and extracting Peggy Ann Freeman.