CoverGirl cover page with Brandy 1999

Advertisements that have African Americans as the main focus during and after the Civil Rights Movement. This would fall in the category of American Modernism in which these examples are important and/ or are historical in graphic design history, having a black person(s) front and center in the 20th century is important for representation purposes, especially in times after the Civil Rights Movements. In the past, around from the late 19th century to the 1960s, black people have had a very tainted reputation when it came to advertisements. Showing African Americans as  inferior to white people, made a mockery of with racist caricatures, or shown as inhuman/ animals.The depiction of African Americans in these posters are as normal people, even having them as “main characters” and not props to make a person of lighter complexion look better.

This 1999 CoverGirl Magazine cover shows singer-songwriter and actress Brandy Norwood (Brandy). Brandy is a dark skinned woman who is very hated in the media, and is shown with a foundation that looks to be her color match. Having a dark skinned woman on the cover of a very popular magazine is incredible and important for when dark skinned girls see and are reminded how beautiful their skin color is.