FlashBlack Friday’s Sara Lou Harris Top Black Model

Born in 1926 in North Carolina Sara Lou Harris became a high fashion model breaking many racial barriers and paving the way for  women of color that walked the runway after her. Sara Lou was able to change the perception of the African American woman from a servant to a glamour icon. She was signed by Branford Lovelies of the Branford Modeling Agency, the very first modeling agency for black women. She then went on to appear on widely popular magazines such as Ebony, Jet and Tan.

In 1959 she married John Carter. Carter worked as a barrister and in 1963 he was appointed as counsel of Queen Elisabeth II. Carter was then honored by the Queen who knighted him. Sara Lou Harris then became known as Lady Sara Lou. Now she was able to “help her own people” by now having this new platform.

I always wanted to make something of myself – to help my own people” said Sara Lou Harris in an interview for the New York Times in 1966