Whitney Houston Graces Cover Of Seventeen Magazine, November 1981 (PHOTO)

The tragic passing of Whitney Houston has us listening to her greatest hits, marveling at her dazzling style and learning many little-known facts about the icon.

For example, did you know that Houston was one of the first black women to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine?

Check out Houston, who was in fact 17 years old at the time, in a cream sweater dress and white tights on the November 1981 cover of the teen mag.

CORRECTION:Thanks to an eagle-eyed reader, we have learned that Houston was not the first black model to cover Seventeen. The July 1971 issue holds that claim. See that cover image with Bonnie Lyshoir and Joyce Wilford below Houston's issue.

Comments

[dmlriley]

04:31 PM on 02/18/2012

The day of the shoot was Whitney's birthday. She turned 18 that day. I know because I am the "other girl" with her. Diane Leicht

[ILB]

09:58 PM on 02/18/2012

What a beautiful picture. I remember that cover!

[Panger]

12:24 PM on 02/16/2012

You must do more than write a small correction that stands in a box beneath a complete misstatement.

Your story text - "For example, did you know Whitney Houston was the first black woman to grace the cover of Seventeen..." - has already become Google fact. If you type "first black women Seventeen cover" in Google, YOUR STORY comes up. How many people read to the correction? I promise you, not many. So in true Orwellian fashion, you have literally made up a "truth."

You should change the copy completely in the actual article and state you were wrong.

[Panger]

12:17 PM on 02/16/2012

Thanks to an eagle-eyed reader?

Try a reader who did an ounce of research which apparently you guys are totally allergic to.

[geddy lee is a god]

11:44 AM on 02/16/2012

That's cute. Whitney looked so young and innocent.

My sister had all of the teen 'zines: Seventeen, Tiger Beat, Sassy, Teen People. Corey Haim's face was all over her bedroom floor, lol. Good times, good times.

[michelleobamaok]

06:29 PM on 02/14/2012

GAWD!! The clown pants, the leggings----and THOSE shoes!!!

Oh, no, HUNTI!

[Marie Moltime]

01:50 PM on 02/14/2012

These covers are a classic example of chaperoning. It's sad that Whiteney could have the cover all by herself.

Chaperoning explained here - http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2008/12/06/how-and-why-people-of-color-are-included-in-advertising-6th-in-a-series/

[1highstepper]

12:39 PM on 02/14/2012

Cool blasts from the past Julee, thanks.

[BowlingForRevenge]

12:35 PM on 02/14/2012

I was a Seventeen reader in high school in the early 70's and I KNEW that was not correct.
I adore Whitney Houston and still have cassettes in addition to CD's of her music but these lies and exaggerations have to stop.
She wasn't DISCOVERED in a choir or by anyone in particular she was groomed by her family who was deep deep rooted in the music industry. Modeling was the first step as she had the who package.
We should feel blessed though to have experienced her amazing talents and be bereft at her exit.

[danusgram]

12:07 PM on 02/14/2012

I am so glad this was corrected I was going to do the same yesterday and never got a chance to get back to this website.

[Isher]

09:19 AM on 02/14/2012

Sweater dresses! Score!

[Zoe Moon]

01:40 AM on 02/14/2012

I remember this cover and I didn't think anything of it. Probably because I was just a kid. Now, 30 years later, it is a whole another story because she is gone. She will live on forever in all of us who loved her through her music.

[Internet Comment]

10:43 PM on 02/13/2012

At the time, and I remember, it was a non event that she was on the cover.

[Panger]

12:26 PM on 02/16/2012

Because it WAS a non-event. African-American women were first on the cover of Seventeen ten years earlier. That second cover? It's from 1971, not 1981.

[TruthRains]

10:40 PM on 02/13/2012

Anyway you slice it, she was a trend setter and a great singer. To be known forever as, "The Voice."

[AlaskanWannaB]

05:44 PM on 02/13/2012

Beautiful pictures of Whitney as a teen.

[Meadows713]

02:14 PM on 02/13/2012

Whitney was not the first woman of color to grace the cover. She was actually the second The July of 1971 issue had it first woman of color. However, both women are equally beautiful!

[wkingsolomon77]

02:31 PM on 02/13/2012

Was she the first teenager

[Meadows713]

02:40 PM on 02/13/2012

Good question... I am not sure of the age of the first model.

[Congo Line]

07:59 PM on 02/13/2012

I don't think so given that it was "Seventeen" magazine. Who knows tho. But the author should have fact checked before putting the article to press.

[MeMyselfI]

06:09 PM on 02/13/2012

She was the first AFRICAN AMERICAN.

Ok?

[Meadows713]

07:11 PM on 02/13/2012

Actually she wasn't. OK! The first AFRICAN AMERICAN was a beautiful lady by the name of Joyce Wilford! She sported a nice Afro in July 1971 edition. Both women are still beautiful!