Celebrate Black History Month With a Look Back at These Incredible SI Swimsuit Photos

We invite you to join us as we spotlight the strength of the Black community.

Roshumba Williams was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by DOLLA Paris. Bracelets by Ben-Amun. Earrings by SIMONMILLER. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

In honor of Black History Month, SI Swimsuit invites you to take a look back at just a few of the sensational models who’ve graced the pages of the magazine over the years.

Spotlighting the strength of the Black community, this month stands as an important reminder of those who came before and an opportunity to collectively celebrate their countless achievements, never once forgetting that, as three-time SI Swimsuit model Kamie Crawford once said, “Black history is American history.”

Kamie Crawford was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Lybethras Swimwear. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

A multihyphenate in the truest definition of the word, Crawford is a prolific model, TV host and mental health advocate. Debuting with SI Swimsuit in St. Croix in 2022, her latest shoot took place on the shores of Belize in 2024. Between those sun-soaked stints was her sophomore feature in 2023, where she wore daring designer looks in the sparkling waters of Dominica. Amid these accomplishments, the brand asked the model what Black History Month means to her personally.

“It’s who I am, and it’s who we are as a society,” Crawford told SI Swimsuit. “Our influence has continued to reign beautifully over centuries, even despite the pushback and exclusion we experience until this day. Black history is joy and resilience wrapped up into one.”

Kamie Crawford was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Lybethras Swimwear. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Another staple of the magazine who shares this sentiment is the iconic Roshumba Williams, who has posed for the magazine a total of seven times. Her inaugural SI Swimsuit shoot in 1990 made Williams one of the brand’s first African American models.

Roshumba Williams was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Vanessa Sposi. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Williams’s work with Yves Saint Laurent in the late 1980s launched her into the world of fashion, landing her on the covers of multiple magazines over her impressive career. She’s also an actress, a red carpet correspondent and an author, having published The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being a Model back in 2007. In 2024, Williams officially became a SI Swimsuit legend, complete with a special feature in Hollywood, Fla., shot by photographer Yu Tsai. The model reunited with Tsai again for her most recent shoot, joining the brand in Jamaica for the 2025 issue.

While chatting with SI Swimsuit poolside last year, she told the magazine, “For me, [Black History Month is] basically a celebration of the contributions that, you know, people of African descent have made to our country and the world. When it comes to being a woman of color, I embrace every part of me ... I come from strength and beauty and family unity, and then I go out into the world, and I inspire others.”

Roshumba Williams was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Vanessa Sposi. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

And one can’t think about shining examples of strength and beauty without immediately calling to mind four-time SI Swimsuit model Leyna Bloom. A model, actress, dancer and multitalented hair and makeup stylist, Bloom broke barriers with her 2021 SI Swimsuit feature in Tampa, Fla., becoming the magazine’s first transgender cover model.

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Gil Rodriguez. Earrings and rings by SOKO. / Gil Rodriguez/Sports Illustrated

The multihyphenate then reunited with SI Swimsuit for her sophomore shoot on the beaches of Belize in 2022 before returning for a third consecutive feature in 2023 in Dominica. And in 2024, she joined Williams in Hollywood, Fla., officially becoming an SI Swimsuit legend.

“[SI Swimsuit was] a huge opportunity and I’m so grateful for it. But you know, I have so many more boundaries to break ...” Bloom said. “This is a huge opportunity, really on another level. Because I know it’s not just for me. It’s for all my communities—the Black girls, the Asian girls, the LGBTQ+ community—this is my moment, and I’m so proud of myself for that. But it’s also our moment, and we’re going to take it and keep stepping into our power.”

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Gil Rodriguez. / Gil Rodriguez/Sports Illustrated

For three-time SI Swimsuit model Tanaye White, Black History Month is a time of both celebration and reflection. The model first joined the brand as a finalist in the 2018 Swim Search open casting call, officially returning as a rookie in the 2021 magazine—the same year Bloom graced the cover.

Tanaye White was photographed by Anne Menke in Sacramento, Calif. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. Boots by Hunter. / Anne Menke/Sports Illustrated

White was first photographed in Turks & Caicos for her Swim Search debut, with her most recent feature taking place in 2022, when she traveled with the magazine to Barbados. And just one year prior, she joined SI Swimsuit in Sacramento, Calif., for a romantic feature in the Golden State.

“To me, Black History Month is a special opportunity to honor and recognize both the incredible successes and gut-wrenching trials of the Black experience in America,” the model told SI Swimsuit before her 2021 rookie feature hit newsstands. “I don’t believe that recognizing Black history should be reserved for just one short month, but I appreciate that it gives us a chance to remember all that our ancestors have overcome and accomplished. It’s important that we never forget where we’ve come from.”

Tanaye White was photographed by Anne Menke in Sacramento, Calif. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. Boots by Hunter. / Anne Menke/Sports Illustrated

SI Swimsuit is proud to celebrate Black History Month by honoring these incredible models and many more, whose resilience, beauty and passion remain beacons of light in our industry and beyond.

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