For #LGBThistorymonth I will be posting an #lgbtq #womaninhistory every day. Today is Tracey ‘Africa’ Norman , the first African-American trans woman model to achieve prominence in the fashion industry.

Norman was the face of Clairol’s ‘Born Beautiful’ Hair Color No. 512, Dark Auburn on the 1970s and appeared in such publications as Essence, Vogue Italia and Harper’s Bazaar India until the truth about her being trans was exposed and her career as a model was essentially over. She became involved in the drag ball community—becoming a member and eventually “mother” of the House of Africa (the “Africa” in her name). She was inducted into the ballroom hall of fame in 2001.

In 2016, following a story featuring Norman in ‘The Cut’, Clairol stated that the company was “honored to bring back Tracey Norman as a woman who no longer has to hide her truth” when announcing that she would become the the face of their ‘Nice ‘n Easy Color As Real As You Are’ campaign. That same year, Norman and Geena Rocero became the first two openly transgender models to appear on the cover of an edition of Harper’s Bazaar.