Darine Stern was an American model and the first African-American model featured on the cover of Playboy

Playboy

Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...

magazine by herself.

Biography

Stern was the first black

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 woman to appear by herself on the cover of Playboy in the magazine's October 1971 issue. Her appearance followed Jean Bell

Jean Bell

Jean Bell was one of the first of Playboy magazine's African American Playmates of the Month.-Biography:...

 who was featured on the magazine's January 1970 cover, but with four other models.

Following her cover on Playboy, Stern went on to become a high-profile model and she was represented by Ford Models

Ford Models

The Ford Modeling Agency, or as it is known today Ford Models, is a modeling agency in New York City. It was established in 1946 by Eileen and the late Gerard W. Ford.-Company:...

, Nina Blanchard, Ellen Hart

Ellen Hart

Ellen Hart is the award-winning mystery author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenaway series. She was born in Minneapolis, MN in August 1949. A professional chef for 14 years, Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane Mott Davidson.The author says of her work, "I don't...

 and Shirley Hamilton Models of Chicago. She died in 1994 due to complications of breast cancer.

Darine Stern's picture on the October 1971 cover served as the inspiration for Playboy's November 2009 cover featuring Marge Simpson

Marge Simpson

Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...

.