Johanne Harelle

Biography

Johanne Harrelle was a Canadian actress, model, and writer who rose to prominence in Quebec and Canada's fashion world, becoming the first black woman to achieve this status. She appeared in Claude Jutra's film "À tout prendre" (1964), playing a fictionalized version of herself as an exotic outsider, highlighting the assumptions made about her due to her race. Harrelle began her career on Canadian runways in the 1950s, breaking ground for black models in the industry.