Tyson Beckford

Born on Dec. 19, 1970 in The Bronx, NY, model and reality personality Tyson Beckford rose to prominence as a preeminent face for high-end clothier Ralph Lauren and went on to become the first African-American male supermodel. Beckford moved with his family to Jamaica early in life and lived there until he was seven. Back in upstate New York, he attended top-ranked Pittsford Mendon High School in an affluent suburb of Pittsford, thanks to his participation in a busing program that brought youths from urban areas to suburban schools. In the summer of 1993, he was discovered at random in Washington Square Park in Manhattan by an editor for The Source, a hip-hop magazine that gave Beckford his first modeling gig. Convinced he had found his career path, Beckford landed an agent and began modeling for Ralph Lauren, leading him to appear in print ads, on television and at various fashion events around the world. In 1995, he was named "Man of the Year" by VH1 and one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine.