Beverly Johnson has graced countless magazine covers, including two that have a place in fashion history. She’s appeared on the runways of some of the world’s top designers, numerous magazine editorial spreads, and national fashion and beauty campaigns. She also starred in movies and TV shows, was an Executive Producer and starred in her own constructive reality show, “Beverly’s Full House,” on Oprah Winfrey’s Network, as well as in an iconic Michael Jackson music video, and authored several bestselling books.

But today, the model, entrepreneur, and activist’s razor-sharp focus is on a new mission: to put an end to racial injustices in fashion – from boardroom to entry level. To that end, she has launched “The Beverly Johnson Rule,” which aims to bring structural change to every level of the fashion industry.

“I want the state of fashion to look like the runways look right now – with more Black models and models from around the world than ever,” Johnson says. “The way the industry looks to the outside world is how it should look on the inside. I don’t want to go into the boardroom of a major company and see all white men on that board, because it is not representative of the demographics of America and probably not representative of their consumer base either.”

The issue has always existed in fashion and every other industry in the U.S. and Johnson now sees a real opportunity to bring about tangible change.

“The Beverly Johnson Rule” proposes that corporations in the fashion, beauty and media industries interview at least two Black professionals for each job opening beginning at the level of the Board of Directors, C-Suites and throughout the company – including editors, photographers, make-up artists and stylists for example – and that executive bonuses be tied to meeting their department’s Diversity goals, as established by the Boards and CEOs.

“As everyone knows, strategic planning, major corporate decisions and global corporate policies are established in the top echelons of every corporation and industry, that being the Board of Directors,” Johnsons says. “The boardroom is where all policy is formed and decided, then given to the C-Suite executives, who in turn transfer them to other executives to implement. Therefore, in order to effectuate real structural change, the Boards must be changed to include Black people to ensure changes in Diversity and Inclusion policies can be made globally and implemented throughout the corporation. This is not affirmative action. It is voluntary. If you adopt it, we of course expect you to abide by it.”

Johnson adds, “Diversity is good business and diversity is good for business, too. There are many studies that have proven that corporations and organizations that are diverse bring in new ideas and cultures, and people can learn from each other’s life experiences. The advantage of diverse organizations is more creative thinking and perspectives, which leads to better problem-solving and better bottom lines as well.”

In tandem, she is launching the Beverly Johnson Global Diversity Advisory Initiative, which will include a company’s adoption of The Beverly Johnson Rule, as well as the creation of a Global Diversity Advisory Committee. The Global Diversity Advisory Committee is designed to be an adjunct to a company’s board of directors and will consist primarily of external members to work along-side a company’s board to provide advice and oversight of a company’s Diversity and Inclusion policies. The focus of the Initiative is to bring together thought leaders and change agents with the goal of creating a transformative approach to solving systemic racism by creating positive structural programs and changes from the top down.

Within minutes of speaking to her, you sense she is an optimist at heart who firmly believes in the good of people – and she realizes they often lack the information and education to make the right choices. Johnson is skeptical of “cancel culture,” and prefers to bring people together for constructive conversations, many of which she knows are far from easy to have but more essential than ever.

“The Beverly Johnson Rule” had its origins in a leaked memo from Anna Wintour to her staff and the subsequent conversation that erupted about racism in the fashion industry.

“Racism exists in every aspect of America,” Johnson recalls. “At that moment, I was compelled to say something. So, I wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Post on June 16, 2020.

“I have been speaking about racism in the fashion industry since I landed in New York in the 1970s, and I thought that the world had gone through the civil rights movement of the 1960’s and that it was over. I was very young and naïve,” Johnson continues. “I turned to Brian [Maillian], my partner – in love and in business – and said, ‘I don’t want to just list the complaints. What can I do?’ There had to be a solution I can bring forth.”

Maillian drew her attention to the National Football League’s Rooney Rule, which was adopted in 2003 and, according to the NFL, mandated that every team with a head coaching vacancy interview at least one or more diverse candidates for the position. The rule was named for Pittsburgh Steelers’ former owner Dan Rooney and has since been further refined and enhanced to allow for further diversity and representation within all coaching positions and front office jobs for all NFL teams.

“Almost 20 years later, we have Black coaches in all levels of coaching and front office executive positions throughout the NFL,” Johnson explains. “The NFL still has its problems regarding racism, but with this Rule, they managed to break boundaries and have Black quarterbacks. Brian said, ‘why don’t you do that for the fashion industry and call it “The Beverly Johnson Rule?’”

But why now—and not 10, 20, or 30 years ago? It is a question that we must all ask ourselves.

Johnson pointed to the confluence of Covid-19 and George Floyd’s murder as the trigger point highlighting racial injustices in America and the urgency to create roadmaps for real change.

“People were forced to stay in their homes, to look at their television, to watch the political chaos, and to watch George Floyd being murdered, over and over and over again,” Johnson says. “I don’t know anyone who was not deeply affected by this. It shook the world.

“Black people – and I speak for myself as well – were deeply saddened,” she continues. “There was a shift in consciousness that I don’t think anyone was ready for. We could not forget about it. At that moment, I realized that there is a crack in the door. There was always someone on the other side of the door keeping it closed, but it was now cracked wide enough for our voices to be heard, and there are people on the other side listening.”

Systemic racism in fashion – and elsewhere – has always been present. Johnson faced it from the day she arrived in New York to model, whether it was a disparaging remark or the disgusting incident when, on a work assignment, she jumped into a pool with the other models. The editor asked everyone to get out, and the pool was drained.

Whether this was in-your-face racism or silent racism, it was structural and omni-present at every level of the industry.

“You don’t get the contract; models doing the same job make more money than you are…it’s everywhere,” she remembers.

“I was a young girl, a teenager in New York City, thinking that with the civil rights movement, we had overcome [racism]. We did the marches, I saw it on television, and that things had changed,” Johnson notes. “I realized it hadn’t changed, and it was here in New York and in this industry. I went into the industry with eyes wide open. My goals were to be the top model in the world, and I was very focused. I set my goal to be on cover of American Vogue —and I got it.”

Shot by Francesco Scavullo and styled by Vogue’s then-Fashion Director Frances Patiky Stein, this – the first Black woman on the cover of Vogue – was a seminal moment in American fashion history, the seeds of which were possibly planted at a previous Avedon model shoot.

“I walked into Avedon’s studio and supermodel Lauren Hutton is there, feet up on the make-up table. Polly Mellen, American Vogue’s Fashion Editor, and Avedon are talking about their shoot,” she remembers. “I come in, and Lauren says, ‘I don’t understand why I am being photographed for the cover. Look at this beautiful girl right here. Why isn’t she on the cover?’ And they all stopped. She was calling them out.”

The famous cover made Johnson aware of the moment’s importance and she made a commitment to live up to the honor. “I realized what it meant to Black women around the world – that Black is finally beautiful by being on the cover of American Vogue magazine,” she says.

In 1975, Johnson reached another milestone by becoming the first Black woman on the cover of French Elle magazine, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. Now, 46 years later, she is more determined than ever and committed to fashion’s duty to effect change.

“You need the Aurora James’, you need the Lindsay Peoples Wagner’s, you need the Bethann Hardison’s, you need all these people and more to take a bite out of this behemoth of racism in America at the same time,” she says. “My coming forward as an activist for racial equality has put me on a platform that I don’t think I ever had before. People are coming to me, not only for my activism and social ideas and initiatives, but also to improve their business policies around diversity and inclusion. A lot of good things happen when you do the right thing.”