Desiree West

Biography: Desiree West is a retired porn star. She began her adult film career in 1973 and became the industry's first African-American star. She semi-retired in 1980, although she appeared in select films sporadically during the early 1980s. She also appeared in a number of men's magazines such as Casanova, Cavalier, Game, and Player. During her career, West generally was relegated to secondary roles despite being noted for her ability to actually handle dialogue well, she never reached the top level of stardom that, frankly, she should have. In 2004, she finally got top billing when a compilation of her scenes was released as Double-D Soul Sister: A Desiree West Collection. In 1997, the X-Rated Critics Organization honored West by inducting her into the XRCO Hall of Fame.