-
Tyra Banks was born in Inglewood, California. She is the daughter of Carolyn, a medical photographer, and Donald Banks, a computer consultant. She has a brother, Devin, who is five years older.
-
-
In 1980, when Banks was 6 years old, her parents divorced.
-
Banks attended John Burroughs Middle School and graduated in 1991 from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. She was accepted by USC and UCLA but declined to attend, instead pursuing a career in modeling.
-
In 1997, she received the VH1 award for Supermodel of the Year.
-
In 1997, she became the first-ever African American chosen for the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog. She is one of the original Victoria's Secret Angels.
-
In 1999, Tyra Banks established the TZONE program, which aimed at leadership and life skills development.[23][24] Banks acts as the patron for TZONE, a leadership program created by Banks for young girls that according to the organization, "reinforces core values of trust and support, challenges teen girls to resist negative social pressures, and enhances self-empowerment—inspiring girls to become confident leaders in their communities."
-
Banks is the hostess, judge and executive producer of The CW Television Network show America's Next Top Model. In addition, she hosted The Tyra Banks Show, a daytime talk show aimed at younger women, which premiered on September 12, 2005, and ran until May 28, 2010.
-
Tyra Banks started her own production company, Bankable Productions (at first called "Ty Ty Baby Productions"; she did not rename it till the second cycle of America's Next Top Model), which produced The Tyra Banks Show, America's Next Top Model, and the 2008 movie The Clique.
-
In 2010, Banks re-signed with her former modeling agency IMG Models. Banks is now a contributor of Vogue Italia's website.
-
In 2011, Banks enrolled in the Owner/President Management Program (OPM) at the Harvard Business School. Banks is planning to graduate Harvard in February 2012.
