Magazines capture important moments in time and the people who make things happen. We aren’t where we should be with Latina representation in the entertainment or publishing industries, but we have seen more Latinas make our presence known. To document Latina history and serve as inspiration for tomorrow’s Latina cover girls, here are five important Latina magazine covers of major US publications.
Lola Falana on the Cover of EBONY
Known as “The Queen of Las Vegas,” Afro-Cuban Lola Falana was a superstar entertainer of the 1960s and ‘70s, at one point becoming the highest-paid woman performing there. Her reach extended from recorded music to television (including her own show, The Lola Falana Show) and film to magazine ads. Part of such big fame is appearing on the actual covers of magazines, like this one. Here, Falana takes center stage on the cover of July 1967’s EBONY.
Joan Baez on the Cover of TIME
Another important entry in Latina magazine covers is the Chicana singer-songwriter, activist, and painter Joan Baez. She was one of the main artists of the 1960s folk music revival, the voice of a generation who wanted peace, equality, and change. In 1962, Baez made history when she became the first Hispanic-American to appear on the cover of TIME, for its November 23rd issue.
Talisa Soto-Bratt on the Cover of Vogue
Long-regarded as the “bible of fashion,” Vogue is a major deal in the fashion industry – and beyond. Landing the cover of Vogue is a defining moment in the career of a model. Imagine being Nuyorican Talisa Soto-Bratt. The model and actress not only was on the April 1989 cover of the internationally-known magazine, she is said to be the first Latina to do so.
Selena on the Cover of People
Tejana superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez, who earned the icon level of being known simply as “Selena,” tragically lost her life in March 1995. The story of her death was featured in the April 17 issue of People magazine. Major interest led to two runs of a special Selena commemorative issue selling a whopping one million copies. It is because of Quintanilla-Perez, her talent, and the collective power of the Latinx community, that People en Español was launched in 1996.
Mariah Carey on the Cover of Rolling Stone
Afro-Venezuelan diva Mariah Carey is considered to have one of the best singing voices of all time. How many artists do you know who can make an entire album of their own #1 hits?! Mimi has had 19 #1 songs, sold over 200 million albums (making her at one point, the best-selling female artist of all time), and writes her own material about life, love, and being fabulous. Another big-deal milestone that Mariah accomplished is appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone on February 5, 1998.
