Lena Horne

Early Life and Background

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. She was born into a family of educated, culturally active African Americans; her mother, Edna, was an actress with an ambition for show business, while her father, Edwin Horne, was a gambler who left the family when Lena was young. Horne spent much of her early life shuffling between her grandparents and her mother who traveled extensively.

Horne's education was as fragmented as her childhood, attending various schools in various states. Early exposure to the music of jazz greats in Harlem's Cotton Club profoundly influenced her, planting the seeds of her own aspirations in the music and entertainment industry.

Career Beginnings and Development

Her remarkable career began at age 16 when she joined the chorus line of the Cotton Club's legendary show, becoming nurtured by the vibrant atmosphere of the Harlem Renaissance. Her distinct voice and striking beauty soon landed her roles as a nightclub singer in Harlem's most famous venues.

By 1942, Horne was discovered by Hollywood, signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a groundbreaking move as she became the first African American to sign a long-term studio contract with a major Hollywood studio. Despite the studio's systemic bias during that era, Horne appeared in highly popular musicals such as Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather, making her songs "Stormy Weather" and "The Lady Is a Tramp" instant classics.

Major Works, Discoveries, or Accomplishments

Lena Horne's rendition of "Stormy Weather" in the 1943 film of the same name became iconic, defining her career and position in the Hollywood music scene. Not just a musician or actress, she used her celebrity status to advocate for civil rights, participating in marches and refusing performance contracts that upheld segregated audiences.

In 1957, her album Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria made history by being the best-selling album by a female artist at that time. Such accomplishments were not merely personal triumphs but also significant moments in the struggle against racial segregation in the music industry.

Awards, Honors, and Recognition

Throughout her career, Lena was awarded multiple Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. Her one-woman Broadway show Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music earned her a special Tony Award, underscoring her status as a critical and commercial darling.

Personal Life

Lena Horne's personal life saw her married twice: first to Louis Jordan Jones, with whom she had two children, and later to Lennie Hayton, a white Jewish arranger and conductor, in a time when interracial marriage was rare and often frowned upon.

Her later years were dedicated to family and professional engagements, with a progressive withdrawal from the limelight while remaining a symbolic elder stateswoman for African American entertainers.

Legacy and Historical Impact

Lena Horne's influence transcended music and film; she was a dedicated civil rights activist, using her fame to support the movement against racial discrimination both publicly and behind the scenes. Horne's legacy reverberates through continued celebration of her music, her participation in breaking down racial barriers in Hollywood, and her association with civil rights leaders of the era.

Later Life and Death

Although semi-retired from the 1970s, Horne continued to occasionally perform and record music into the 1990s. She passed away on May 9, 2010, leaving behind a monumental legacy, influencing generations of artists and activists.