Veronica Webb (1965- )

June 25, 2017 
/ Contributed By: Samuel Momodu

Veronica Webb

Veronica Webb

Photo by David Shankbone (CC BY 2.5)

Veronica Webb is an African American model, actress, writer, and television personality. Webb was the first African American to have a major cosmetics contract when she signed with Revlon in 1992. Webb also appeared on the covers of Vogue, Essence, and Elle magazines and had the opportunity to be on the runway for Victoriaโ€™s Secret and Chanel. Webb was born on February 25, 1965, in Detroit, Michigan, to Marion Webb, a registered nurse, and Leonard Douglas Webb, an electrician.

Growing up, Webb identified with magazine models and women who were involved in the fashion industry. She also enjoyed comic books and dreamed initially of becoming an animator. Webb attended the Detroit Waldorf School, a private institution located in the historic Detroit Indian Village neighborhood, where she graduated in 1983. After graduation, Webb moved to New York City, New York to study design. When a makeup artist saw her in a boutique, he encouraged her to drop out of school to become a model. Webb pursued a modeling career in New York City and eventually became a spokesmodel for the cosmetics giant Revlon. Webb, at the age of twenty-seven, was the first Black model to win an exclusive contract for a major cosmetics company.

In 1991, Webb made her feature film debut in Spike Leeโ€™s Jungle Fever. Her other film credits include Spike Leeโ€™s Malcolm X (1992), The Big Tease (1999), and Someone Like You (2001). Webb also had a recurring role on the television show Damon and appeared on Just Shoot Me, Becker, and Clueless. In 2006, Webb appeared in the independent feature film Dirty Laundry.

During her career as a runaway model, Webb modeled fashions from the collections of major designers, including Azzedine Alaia, Isaac Mizrahi, Karl Lagerfeld, and Todd Oldham. Webb was named to American Vogueโ€™s best-dressed list three times. She has also written essays and columns for the interview publication Paper Magazine (โ€œNew York Cityโ€™s Style Guide to Downtown Cool”), Panorama (an Italian weekly news magazine), Details, Elle, The British Sunday Times, The New York Times, Conde Nastโ€™s Cookie magazine, and Esquire. In 2010, Webb was named a member of the Eucerin Skin First Council to promote skin health.

Webb married George Robb in 2002, and the couple had two daughters, Leila Rose Robb (born October 2002) and Molly Blue Robb (born May 2004). The couple divorced in 2009. Webb is currently married to Christ Delgatto.

About the Author

Author Profile

Samuel Momodu, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, received his Associate of Arts Degree in History from Nashville State Community College in December 2014 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Tennessee State University in May 2016. He received his Master of Arts Degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in June 2019.

Momoduโ€™s main areas of research interest are African and African American History. His passion for learning Black history led him to contribute numerous entries to BlackPast.org for the last few years. Momodu has also worked as a history tour guide at President Andrew Jacksonโ€™s plantation home near Nashville, the Hermitage. He is currently an instructor at Tennessee State University. His passion for history has also helped him continue his education. In 2024, he received his Ph.D. in History from Liberty University, writing a dissertation titled The Protestant Vatican: Black Churches Involvement in the Nashville Civil Rights Movement 1865-1972. He hopes to use his Ph.D. degree to become a university professor or professional historian.

CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

Momodu, S. (2017, June 25). Veronica Webb (1965- ). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/webb-veronica-1965/

Source of the Author's Information:

โ€œVeronica Webb,โ€ Fashion Model Directory, http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Veronica_Webb/; โ€œVeronica Webb,โ€ International Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005542/; โ€œVeronica Webb,โ€ Married Biography, https://marriedbiography.com/veronica-webb-biography/.

Further Reading