Lena Horne came into the world at a time when not much was expected from a woman, especially a black one. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1917 she started working at age 16 as a dancer at the Cotton Club to help support her mother. By the 1940’s she had become a popular performer and one of the highest paid black actors in Hollywood. However, due to the significant racism of the time and being blacklisted her career in films never flourished. After Hollywood, Lena Horne became a premiere performer throughout US and Europe headlining in nightclubs and hotels and appeared on many popular TV shows. Lena Horne is best known for her trademark song Stormy Weather, her one woman show on Broadway: A Lady and her Music that won a Tony Award and Drama Desk award. My personal favorites are her role as Glenda the Good Witch in The Wiz and her appearance on The Cosby Show.
Lena Horne defines personal style and grace. Through sheer determination, high ethics, perseverance, undeniable talent and beauty she was able to achieve in-spite of the odds.
Lena Calhoun Horne June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010
