Marsha Hunt made waves as a model in England by being the first Black model to grace the now-defunct high fashion magazine Queen in the late ’60’s. Hunt’s modeling and singing career were short-lived, but in that time, she and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger became the parents to his firstborn daughter, Karis.
Hunt was born April 15, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pa., but considers Kensington, Calif. home after moving there as a teenager. As a student at the University of California at Berkeley, Hunt was involved in protests against the Vietnam War, but left the school to pursue other opportunities in London.
Upon landing in the United Kingdom, Hunt, who sported a large Afro, became a darling of the London theater press after her small but standout role in the local production of the renowned musical Hair. This opened up modeling opportunities, such as the Queen cover in 1969. That same year, she landed a cover on the British version of Vogue.
Hunt caught Jagger’s attention when she was asked to model for a photo shoot for the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman” single. She ultimately turned down the job as she didn’t want to be represented as a Black woman used as a sex object for the band. (READ MORE)
