Twitter
Facebook
A tribute to the legendary Lena Horne
God bless the pioneers.
The people who do break down barriers and do not allow the world to treat them like second class citizens.
Lena Horne, who died today at the age of 92, was one of those people.
The ground-breaking singer, actress and civil rights activist who, in 1942, became the first African-American performer to be put under contract by a major studio.
EW.com writes: Though her movie career spanned nearly six decades and included a smattering of well-regarded films, like Stormy Weather (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), and Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956), Horne was best known for her singing. Her music highpoints include blockbuster collaborations with Tony Bennett, Grammy-winning recordings of her Vegas nightclub act (1981′s The Lady and Her Music, Live on Broadway, and 1995′s An Evening With Lena Horne), and her Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway musical, Calypso.
Her knack for dramatic flourish and romantic renditions of jazz standards led to appearances on TV variety shows including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dean Martin Show, as well as a role in the big-screen musical, The Duke Is Tops (1938). Though she never found the substantial, satisfying work she sought on film, Horne did make an impact, later in life, on TV in recurring roles on The Muppet Show and The Cosby Show
Throughout her career, Horne was equally dedicated to her advocacy for civil rights. She was an early pioneer in the movement for equality, fighting for desegregation alongside such legends of the movement as Paul Robeson and Medgar Evers. She also fought with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lynching laws. The combination of Horne’s disarming talent and fierce individuality created a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers in Hollywood and beyond.
Horne is survived by her daughter, Gail Lumet Buckley.
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
mo says:
Oh, I had not heard.
She was truly one of the legendary greats, as you said.
My heart goes out to her friends and family.
2201 East says:
Here’s on of those favorite Lean Horne stories you will hear about.
One night thirty years ago, I attended a Lena Horne concert. We were seated in the front role of a large venue.. It really had the makings of a marvelous evening with the exception of two older women seated not to far from us. For the first ten minutes hey were determined to pick apart Miss Horne’s performance from her hair, to her gown, to whatever and they weren’t being quiet about it. It was annoying and one of my companions suggested we call and usher to tell them to stop before Miss Horne started singing again. Lena Horne then walked to the edge of the stage directly in front of where these two women were seated. She asked them why they were there and if they were there to do nothing to criticize her she’d have them removed and she meant it. She then apologized to the rest of the audience for the break but told us that it was really annoying having these two woman rattling on. She was upfront about saying that she couldn’t really enjoy performing with it going on and she thought the rest of us deserved better. She then looked back at the two woman. Both of whom now looked like they wished the earth had swallowed them up. She then said to them, “Have I made myself perfectly clear?” She then went back to singing. These two women never said another word and they didn’t return to their seats after the intermission. I have seen fortunate enough to some sensational performances over the years by different artists. Miss Horne never failed to be among the best!
JontheMoonspinner says:
gorgeous photos..I hope all her fans get to see this page! Nice work.
Mike says:
RIP Miss Horne, and, thanks for many marvelous memories!
And, the pics here are a great tribute.
ken says:
RIP Lena Horne. She is an ICON, a Legend!