7 'Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' leads who made franchise history with their casting

Jenn Tran on season 28 of "The Bachelor."Disney/Richard Middlesworth

• Jenn Tran was recently announced as the first Asian American star of "The Bachelorette."
• Before that, Rachel Lindsay and Matt James made history as the first Black leads in the franchise.

Jenn Tran was a surprise pick to lead the new season of "The Bachelorette." But even though some had expected it to be Joey Graziadei's runner-up Daisy Kent or fan-favorite contestant Maria Georgas, Tran's casting was exciting for another, more profound reason.

Tran will be the first Asian-American lead in the show's 20-year history when her season premieres later this year. It's a milestone for the reality franchise, which has long struggled with diverse representation and race.

Here are seven Bachelor Nation leads who have made history with their casting.