Thursday, March 17, 2011

Founder of First Black-Owned Modeling School, Cleo Johnson, Dead at 88

Founder of First Black-Owned Modeling School Cleo Johnson Dead at 88

A black modeling pioneer and diva, Cleo Johnson (pictured), died of natural causes Tuesday in her Southside home. She was 88.


Johnson, who many considered to be the epitome of elegance, style and grace, and lived by her own personal credo, "poise, personality and charm," was a model during the '50s, when society did not regard women of color as beautiful and black models struggled to take center stage.

Experiencing the same reality, Johnson decided to open up the first black-owned modeling school, Cleo Johnson's School of Charm and Modeling, in the country in 1956 in order to help black children and adults with proper diction, social graces and, of course, modeling.

The school that Johnson built began with three of her neighbor's children and two of her nieces and a $100 one-year course fee. Word of the school spread like wildfire throughout the years, and it soon grew to tremendous proportions, forcing Johnson to relocate to a larger building on Chicago's Southside.

As the school grew in popularity, Johnson was approached by entrepreneurs who were interested in buying her business, but she insisted on staying the course with her dream:

"I've turned down a lot of money and [business] offers to stay here on the Southside," she once said.

Ever since Johnson was a little girl growing up in rural Louin, Miss., Johnson dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. She would often take the old-fashioned Coca-Cola bottles and dress them up with scraps of fabric:

"I made the most gorgeous little dresses you'd ever want to see," Johnson said in a 1992 Chicago Tribune interview.

Throughout the years, Johnson worked with everyone from entertainers to politicians to poor disadvantaged youth in Chicago - no one was barred from entering and receiving an injection of self-confidence, pride and social graces. Johnson's client roster included the late R&B singer Minnie Ripperton and former U.S. Congresswoman Cardiss Collins.

In 1960, Johnson helped organize the Modeling Association of America, International, a worldwide organization of more than 100 modeling schools. Later, in 1982, she became the first African-American president of the organization.

"Johnson inspired her students to believe in themselves, no matter where they lived or what their economic level," said Ollie Sims Parker, longtime friend, former student and instructor at Johnson's School. "She wasn't rich, but she never turned anyone away," said Parker. "If you came to the school with no money, she would find a way."

Even though Johnson's modeling school closed in 2007, she continued to teach charm and etiquette to a smattering of students in her home.

Services for Johnson will be held Friday at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. Johnson leaves no immediate survivors.


 

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