Lena Horne, a very talented musician, used her music to fight for civil rights. She was passionate about her beliefs and her music.
But who is Lena Horne?
Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1917. Her mother acted, and her father worked as a banker.
Her parents separated when Lena was 3 years old, and she mostly lived with her mother. Because her mother acted, she often traveled.
Many times, Lena lived with her grandparents or friends. Although life was hard, Lena knew that she wanted to be a performer, too.
Active role in the black civil rights
She left school when she was 16 to work as a singer. She first worked at a very popular nightclub in New York called the Cotton Club. The Cotton Club was known for having black performers.
Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, two famous jazz musicians, played there. At that time, many places segregated by race.
That means that white and black people could not be in the same place. Although black musicians performed at the Cotton Club, the audiences remained white.
Horne did not stay at the Cotton Club for long. She performed on Broadway and then joined a band. She became the first black singer to tour with an all-white band. Although the band integrated, most places they visited were not.
That meant that Horne could not stay at the same hotels, for instance. In many places, she could sing for the audience but not be part of the audience herself because she was black. This made touring hard, and Horne decided to stay in New York.
When she came back to New York, Lena Horne got to know other black musicians and actors. She became friends with Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and the actor Paul Robeson. Lena also learned more about African American history and civil rights. She became an activist for black civil rights.
Providing equal opportunities to black performers
Lena used her talent to further equality for black performers. For example, when she got a new job as an actress in the 1940s, she made the studio agree that she would not play certain roles.
At that time, black actresses mostly played roles as domestic workers—maids or cooks, for example. Horne did not want to play a stereotyped role like that. Her contract stated that she would not play the part of a domestic worker. She became the first black singer to sign a contract with a major studio.
Though she would not play stereotyped roles, the film studios also did not want her to act as a love interest for white actors. In the end, she did not have many film roles. But she did sing in some musicals. She is well known for her role in Stormy Weather. She sang the title song. It became her most popular song.
Civil rights activist
While she acted in the 1940s, Lena Horne also worked as a civil rights activist. She sued several restaurants and theatres for discrimination.
When she performed for troops during World War II, she insisted that black soldiers must be allowed to be there.
Later, she demanded the same from the nightclubs where she sang. She also collaborated with Eleanor Roosevelt to create laws against lynching.
Activism against racism and ostracization
Many did not like what Horne was doing. In the 1950s, they ostracised her. Ostracising means that they put her on a list of people who should not be hired.
Many actors suspected of being Communists were ostracised. This included her friend, Paul Robeson. Horne did not stop singing and acting, though. She also continued her activism. In the 1960s, she participated in the March on Washington and sang at civil rights rallies.
Horne continued to sing and act for many years. Her records became very popular. She also starred in The Wiz, an all-black version of The Wizard of Oz. Later, she starred in her own Broadway show for several years. By the early 1990s, she retired from singing. She died in 2010 at the age of 92.
Opportunities lost
Lena used her talent and fame to fight for civil rights. At times, this was very hard. She lost opportunities because she refused to be treated badly.
She did not get many movie roles because she did not want to be stereotyped. They ostracised her because of her activism and political views. Now we know why they ostracised Lena Horne.
