It is relatively recently that black women’s influence over the world has been acknowledged. Many beautiful and successful black women have garnered worldwide fame and respect. They have become pioneers in various fields, such as fashion, music, and athletics, to name a few.
We have compiled this list to celebrate these beautiful black women from various parts of the world. Let’s dive in…
1. Beyoncé
Net worth: US$500 million
It is nearly impossible for someone to never have heard of Beyonce in this age and time. She is the most successful black female music artist of our time.
Beyonce started her career as part of Destiny’s Child, one of the most well-known girlg groups of all time. In 2003, Beyonce started her solo career which led to tremendous success for years to come.
2. Halle Berry
Net worth: US$90 million
When one thinks “Catwoman”, they can’t help but think of Halle Berry. Although Berry gained worldwide fame as Catwoman in Catwoman (2004), she had a pretty successful career before that as well. Halle Berry made her breakthrough in 1992 starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Boomerang.
3. Naomi Campbell
Net worth: US$80 million
Naomi Campbell is one of the most well-known and successful models in the world. Campbell received dance training from age 3 to 16 and intended to work as a modern dancer.
However, she was sought out by Synchro Modeling Agency in 1986 and started modeling. At the age of 16, Campbell appeared on the cover of British Elle.
4. Iman
Net worth: US$200 million
When many hear Iman’s name, they think of her marriage to David Bowie. While the couple won everyone’s hearts, Iman had a successful modeling career long before meeting Bowie.
Her modeling career started with Vogue and she soon appeared on the cover of many other popular magazines. Iman was the muse for Versace, Thiery Mugler, and Yves Saint Laurent during her time.
5. Janet Jackson
Net worth: US$190 million
Janet Jackson is pop music icon Michael Jackson’s youngest sister. She rose to prominence due to the exploration of socially-conscious and sexual themes in her music.
Jackson set the stage for many future female musicians to explore topics that were otherwise considered taboo for them. She has sold over 100 million records globally.
6. Tyra Banks
Net worth: US$90 million
Tyra Banks was the first African-American woman to be featured in GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She was one of Victoria’s Secret’s first Angels and worked for the brand from 1997 to 2005.
Banks is best-known for America’s Next Top Model, which she produced and presented through her production company Bankable Productions.
7. Zendaya
Net worth: US$15 million
Zendaya has received much praise and critical acclaim in recent times for her role as Rue Bennett in the HBO teen drama Euphoria. Although the star’s career started with Disney, she has shown that she can take on mature roles with depth and nuance.
She has starred in blockbusters such as The Greatest Showman (2017), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and Dune (2021).
8. Rihanna
Net worth: US$1.7 billion
Rihanna is possibly one of the world’s most influential black women. She is a singer, actress, fashion designer, and businesswoman in one. Rihanna has sold 215 million records worldwide but didn’t stop at music.
She also created her own cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty and fashion house Fenty. She is a well-renowned and loved celebrity worldwide.
9. Janelle Monáe
Net worth: US$12 million
While many of us heard of Monáe when she collaborated with fun on We Are Young, she was a well-established artist long before that. She released her debut EP in 2007 which made it to the second spot on the US Top Heatseekers chart.
Aside from her successful music career, she recently published a collection of sci-fi stories titled The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories From Dirty Computer.
10. Jasmine Tookes
Net worth: US$5 million
Jasmine Tookes is an American model best known for being one of the new models to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway in 2012. She served as one of the Angels for a while and walked the runway for seven consecutive years. Aside from Victoria’s Secret,
11. Zoe Saldaña
Net worth: US$35 million
Zoe Saldana is an American actress who gained fame for her role in various popular movies, including Avatar (2009), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Saldana began her career in 2000 when she starred in Center Stage as a ballet dancer.
12. Halle Bailey
Net worth: US$2 million
Many have heard Halle Bailey’s name soon after she was cast to play Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. However, Bailey has been in the spotlight for quite some time. She is half of musical duo Chloe x Halle that has earned five Grammy nominations. She also starred in the popular TV sitcom Grown-ish.
13. Tracee Ellis Ross
Net worth: US$16 million
Tracee Ellis Ross is an American actress who rose to fame after starring in the UPN TV series Girlfriends (2000-2008) and ABC TV sitcom Black-ish (2014-2022). Aside from acting, Ross also starred in and recorded the soundtrack album for The High Note (2020).
Ross is also a businesswoman and owns Pattern Beauty, a hair-care line for people with 3B to 4C-textured hair.
14. Taraji P. Henson
Net worth: US$25 million
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and music artist. Her two-decade career has seen her win various awards and accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Critic’s Choice Award. Henson has starred in numerous films, such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and The Karate Kid (2010).
15. Gabrielle Union
Net worth: US$40 million
Gabrielle Union is an American actress who had her breakthrough when she starred in Bring It On (2000). She is known for her roles in romantic comedies, such as Almost Christmas (2016) and Breaking In (2018). Aside from acting, Union is an author of four books and women’s rights activist.
16. Lupita Nyong’o
Net worth: US$10 million
Lupita Nyong’o is a well-known Kenyan-Mexican actress who has won several awards, including an Academy Award, four NAACP Image Awards, and a Daytime Emmy Award. Her best-known movies include 12 Years A Slave (2013), Black Panther (2018), and Us (2019).
17. Nicki Minaj
Net worth: US$130 million
Nicki Minaj, often referred to as the Queen of Rap and the Queen of Hip Hop, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. Minaj is known for her versatility and stylistic choices in music. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won 39 awards.
18. Lisa Bonet
Net worth: US$14 million
Lisa Bonet is an American actress best-known for her role as Denise Huxtable in The Cosby Show (1984-1992). She appeared in various action and thriller films such as Angel Heart (1987), Enemy of the State (1998), and Road to Paloma (2013).
19. Viola Davis
Net worth: US$25 million
One of most renowned black women in the world, Viola Davis is an American actress best known for her role as Annalise Keating in How To Get Away With Murder (2014-2020). Davis also starred in numerous popular movies, including Doubt (2008), The Help (2011), and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020).
20. Serena Williams
Net worth: US$210 million
Serena Williams is an American professional tennis player who is often considered the greatest tennis player of all time. Williams started to play professionally in 1995 and has seen tremendous success and numerous victories. She is one of the most influential and the highest-paid female athletes of all time.
21. Alicia Keys
Net worth: US$150 million
Although the song Girl on Fire (2012) earned Alicia Keys worldwide stardom, she was a well-known name in the music industry long before that. Trained as a classical pianist, Keys started composing songs at the age of 12. Her debut album Songs in A Minor (2001) earned her five Grammy Awards.
22. Winnie Harlow
Net worth: US$4 million
Winnie Harlow is a Jamaican and Canadian model and public spokesperson on vitiligo, a long-term skin condition characterized by patchy loss of pigment. Harlow initially rose to prominence as a contestant on America’s Next Top Model in 2014.
Since then, she has worked with many renowned brands such as Fendi, Victoria’s Secret, Swarovski, and Tommy Hilfiger.
23. Ciara
Net worth: US$20 million
Ciara is an American singer best known for her breathy vocals and energetic stage presence. She has sold over 45 million records worldwide and has collaborated with various renowned musicians like Ludacris, Justin Timberlake, and Enrique Iglesias.
Recently, Ciara has put music on hold and is focusing on launching her fashion house The House of LR&C.
24. Keke Palmer
Net worth: US$7.5 million
Keke Palmer is an American actress, singer, and TV personality. She is known for her roles in various comedic dramas. Aside from acting, Palmer has also released three extended plays and hosted two TV shows.
25. Kerry Washington
Net worth: US$50 million
Kerry Washington is an American actress, producer, and director best known for her role as Olivia Pope in the HBO TV series Scandal (2012-2018). Washington has had a highly successful career and was named the eighth highest-paid TV actress in 2018 by Forbes.
26. Jourdan Dunn
Net worth: US$13 million
Jourdan Dunn is a British fashion model and considered a supermodel among her generation of models. She made her modeling debut in 2007 walking shows for the likes of Marc Jacobs. Since then, Dunn has appeared in numerous magazines and walked the runway for various brands.
27. Solange Knowles
Net worth: US$9 million
Solange Knowles is Beyonce’s younger sister and an American singer, songwriter, actress, and performance artist. She took an interest in music and dance from an early age. In 2016, Billboard ranked her as the 100th most successful dance artist of all time.
28. Rosario Dawson
Net worth: US$8 million
Rosario Dawson is an American actress who made her debut in Kids (1995). She was discovered at the age of 15 and went to star in various roles. Dawson established herself as one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood by starring in independent films as well as blockbusters.
30. Zoë Kravitz
Net worth: US$10 million
In recent times, Zoe Kravitz has mainly become associated with the DC live-action Batman (2022) but she has had many successful roles before that. Some of her best-known roles are featured in X-Men: First Class (2011), the Divergent Series (2014-2016), and the Fantastic Beasts series (2016-2022).
31. Kelly Rowland
Net worth: US$12 million
Many remember Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child in the 1990s but she has had a very successful solo career. Aside from releasing four popular studio album, Rowland also starred in films and served as a host on various shows such as The X-Factor USA and The Voice Australia.
32. Aja Naomi King
Net worth: US$3 million
Aja Naomi King is an American actress who rose to prominence after starring as Michaela Pratt in the HBO TV series How To Get Away with Murder (2014-2020). Aside from the show, King has also had successful roles in The Birth of a Nation (2016) and The Upside (2017).
33. Zuri Tibby
Net worth: US$2.5 million
Zuri Tibby is an American model who became the first black spokesmodel for Victoria’s Secret’s PINK line. She appeared in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2016 and 2017.
34. Lizzo
Net worth: US$12 million
Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. She gained widespread success with her third studio album Cuz I Love You (2019).
Lizzo has won three Grammy Awards, a Billboard Music Award, a BET Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards.
35. Eboni K. Williams
Net worth: US$3 million
Eboni K. Williams is an American lawyer and the co-host of the late-night talk show State of The Culture on Revolt TV. Williams also appeared on the 13th season of The Real Housewives of New York City.
36. Laverne Cox
Net worth: US$6 million
Laverne Cox is an American actress and LGBT+ rights advocate who rose fame after starring as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019). Cox is the first transgender person with a wax figure at Madame Tussauds.
37. Meagan Good
Net worth: US$10 million
Meagan Good is an American actress and model who made her debut at the age of 13. She has starred in numerous films including Eve’s Bayou (1997), The Unborn (2009), and Shazam! (2019).
38. Freema Agyeman
Net worth: US$4 million
Freema Agyeman is an English actress best known for starring as Martha Jones in Doctor Who (2007-2010). She also played Alesha Phillips in Law & Order: UK (2009–2011) and Amanita Caplan in Sense8 (2015–2018).
39. Angela Bassett
Net worth: US$25 million
Angela Bassett is an American actress, producer, and director. In 1993, Bassett portrayed Tina Turner in her biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993) and received critical acclaim. She has starred in numerous popular films such as Malcom X (1992), Black Panther (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
40. Regina Hall
Net worth: US$500 million
Regina Hall is an American actress best known for her role as Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie series (2000-2006). In 2018, Hall became the first black woman to win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.
41. Chanel Iman
Net worth: US$9 million
Chanel Iman is an American model best known for being a Victoria’s Secret Angel. Iman started modeling at 12 years of age and soon grew to walk the runway for Burberry, Balenciaga, and Robert Cavalli to name a few.
42. Indya Moore
Net worth: US$3 million
Indya Moore is an American actor and model best known for starring as Angel Evangelista in the FX TV series Pose. In 2017, Moore walked the runway for various brands in the New York Fashion Week.
43. Normani
Net worth: US$6 million
Normani is an American singer and dancer best known for her work with the girl group Fifth Harmony. In 2018, Normani started her solo career and collaborate with many renowned music artists such as Calvin Harris, 6lack, Sam Smith, and Cardi B.
Conclusion
Many powerful and successful black women have shattered the glass ceiling in the past few years. They are not only incredibly beautiful but also driven, compassionate, and intelligent. With their accomplishments in various fields, black women continue to shape the future of the world.
