Rachel Lindsay

American reality TV star Rachel Lindsay made history in the summer of 2017 when she became the first African-American "Bachelorette" (ABC, 2003- ) on the long-running ABC reality series. Born and raised in Texas, Lindsay grew up devoted to her studies and her tight-knit family. She excelled in school and dreamt of one day following in her father's footsteps by becoming a lawyer. After high school, Lindsay enrolled in the University of Texas, where she studied Kinesiology and Sports Management. She worked hard in college and thrived as a student. And when she wasn't studying, Lindsay was following her favorite sports team, the Dallas Cowboys, whom she developed a passionate devotion to as a young girl. When it came time to enter law school Lindsay moved half way around the country to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to enroll in Marquette University. She eventually earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University, and quickly moved back to Texas to begin practicing insurance law in Dallas. After a number of years as a professional lawyer, Lindsay decided to audition for the reality series "The Bachelor" (ABC, 2002- ). She was quickly selected as one of the ladies vying for the affection of Nick Viall, the bachelor for show's 21st season. Although Viall did not select Lindsay, she did make it to one of the later rounds, and immediately became a fan favorite on the show. With her popularity on the rise, thanks to the show, in early 2017 ABC announced that Rachel Lindsay would be the next "Bachelorette," when the new season of the reality series premiered in May of 2017. With her selection, Lindsay also made history by becoming the first African-American bachelorette in the show's history.