Tyra Banks says Danielle Herrington's Sports Illustrated cover "means everything" to her.
Banks was the first in 1996.
"It means everything for me, because I didn't dream of being on the cover because I didn't think it was possible. I'd never seen a black model on the cover, so I didn't dream that," she said.
"But Danielle did dream it because she saw me."
The "America's Next Top Model" creator and "America's Got Talent" host was attending the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue launch party alongside 24-year-old Herrington, who couldn't help but gush about Banks in the interview."She paved the way for me," she said of Banks. "This is my idol ... she's so cool and so smart, and I feel like she's always thinking about the next thing. [She is] just so business-oriented, and that's how I want to be. I want to be a businesswoman like her."
Banks, who said she hopes to mentor Herrington, had attended the New York premiere of "Black Panther" with the model Tuesday. She celebrated Herrington's cover in an Instagram post the same day.
"I was the 1st, but is MY (and YOUR) Model Olympian today! Go go go, Danielle! Make TyTy proud!"
Banks appeared with Argentine model Valeria Mazza on the 1996 cover, and covered the 1997 issue solo.
Singer Beyonce was the second African-American woman to land the cover, appearing in the 2007 edition.
