Smith, began her career as a model in the 1960s and became the one of the first African American women on Mademoiselle's cover, in July 1976. Smith expanded her modeling career by becoming a lifestyle guru, a restaurateur and a TV host. She hosted a nationally syndicated talk show, "B. Smith With Style," in the mid-1990s. She also ran restaurants in New York and Washington, D.C., and wrote books on cooking and entertaining. Smith's line of home goods was sold in Bed, Bath & Beyond, making it the first line by African American woman to be sold at a nationwide retailer, according to her website. Celebrities and admirers mourned Smith's death with tributes on Twitter, remembering the "Renaissance woman" for her work in breaking down barriers for black women in the country. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013, at age 64, after experiencing bouts of forgetfulness. Smith said on "TODAY" in 2016 that she wanted to speak publicly about her diagnosis to raise awareness about Alzheimer's. She and her husband co-wrote a book about living with the disease: "Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer's."