About Naomi Sims
Naomi Ruth Sims (March 30, 1948 – August 1, 2009) was an American model, businesswoman and author. She is widely credited as being one of the first African-American supermodels. Sims was the first African-American model to appear on the covers of Ladies' Home Journal and Life. == Early life == Sims was born in Oxford, Mississippi, the youngest of three daughters born to John and Elizabeth Sims. Her father (whom she never knew) reportedly worked as a porter, but Sims' mother later described him "an absolute bum" and her parents divorced shortly after she was born. She was teased for her height of 5'10 at the age of 13. Elizabeth Sims later moved with her three daughters to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Naomi's mother was forced to put her child into foster care. She attended Westinghouse High School. There, due to her height, she was ostracized by many of her classmates. Sims was raised as a Catholic.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.