Background The lifetime risk of heart failure is higher in the African-American population than in other racial groups in the United States. Methods and Results We measured the Life’s Simple 7 ideal cardiovascular health metrics in 4195 African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study (2000–2004). We evaluated the association of Simple 7 metrics with incident HF and left ventricular (LV) structure and function by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR; n=1188). Mean age at baseline was 54.4 years (65% women). Relative to 0–2 Simple 7 factors, African-Americans with 3 factors had 47% lower incident HF risk (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.39–0.73, P<0.0001); those with ≥ 4 factors had 61% lower HF risk (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.24–0.64, P=0.0002). Higher blood pressure (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.28–4.20, P=0.005), physical inactivity (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.07–2.55, P=0.02), smoking (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.43–2.91, P<0.0001) and impaired glucose control (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.34–2.29, P<0.0001) were associated with incident HF. The age-/sex-adjusted population attributable risk for these Simple 7 metrics combined was 37.1%. Achievement of ideal blood pressure, ideal body mass index, ideal glucose control, and non-smoking was associated with less likelihood of adverse cardiac remodeling by CMR. Conclusions Cardiovascular risk factors in mid-life (specifically elevated blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking and poor glucose control) are associated with incident HF in African Americans, and represent targets for intensified HF prevention.