Elegant, sassy, trailblazer, activist, author and fellow Brooklynite. These words and so much more describe the prolific Ms. Lena Horne. With a voice and style like no other, Ms. Horne kicked open the doors of Hollywood and broadway and amazed all those who witnessed her power whether black or white. Outside of singing, Ms. Horne made sure her voice was heard for issues pertaining to the Civil Rights Movement. She is most remembered for her comments about the treatment Black soldiers received during World War II.
I have a heavy heart as I write this, but now is not the time to mourn. It is time to celebrate the life of a woman who gave back to her people and culture in a powerful way. She set the standard for grace and was the epitome of a true diva. She laid the foundation for African American women to make their way into the entertainment field. I will continue to honor Ms. Horne by never forgetting all that she did for me and educating the younger generations about her contributions to music and her people. I applaud Ms. Horne for being true to who she was and never wavering under the pressure to fit into the box that Hollywood attempted to put her in. We have lost another icon, but heaven has gained another angel. Her sultry voice and memorable words will live in our hearts forever. As I celebrate her life through video I will leave you with this memorable quote from Ms. Horne, “My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”
Click here for Lena Horne’s Biography
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne June 30th, 1917 – May 9th, 2010
“Stormy Weather”
“Stormy Weather/If you believe” live
“Cabin in the Sky”
Lena Horne on the Cosby Show
“Love me or leave me”
“Moon River”
“Maybe”
Memorable Quotes by Lena Horne:
“I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept. I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked.”
“You have to be taught to be second class; you’re not born that way.”
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”
“Always be smarter than the people who hire you.”
“A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.”
