Lena Horne was a singer, actress, and civil rights activist who first established herself as a successful vocalist before transitioning to film. She signed with MGM Studios and became known as one of the best African American performers of her era, appearing in films like “Cabin in the Sky” and “Stormy Weather.” She was also notable for her work with civil rights groups and refused to play roles that stereotyped African American women, a stance many considered controversial at the time. After a period away from the spotlight in the 1970s, she made a celebrated comeback with her 1981 one-woman show, “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.” Learn more at brooklyn-trend.com
From School to the Club
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York, to a banker and professional gambler and an actress. Both of her parents had a mixed heritage of African American, European, and Native American descent. Her parents divorced when she was three, and because her mother traveled with various theater troupes, Horne lived with her grandparents for a time. Later, she would alternate between accompanying her mother on the road and staying with family and friends across the country.
At age 16, Horne dropped out of school and began performing at the “Cotton Club” in Harlem. After her Broadway debut in the production “Dance with Your Gods” in the fall of 1934, she joined “Noble Sissle & His Orchestra” as a singer under the name Helena Horne. Then, after appearing in the 1939 Broadway musical revue “Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds,” she became a member of the famous white swing band “The Charlie Barnet Orchestra.” Barnet was one of the first bandleaders to integrate his band, but because of racial prejudice, Horne could not stay and perform at many of the venues where the orchestra played, and she soon left the tour. In 1941, she returned to New York to work at “The Cafe Society” nightclub, a popular spot for both Black artists and intellectuals.
The Highest-Paid Black Entertainer
A long gig at the “Savoy-Plaza Hotel” nightclub in 1943 then launched Horne’s career. She was featured in “Life” magazine and became the highest-paid Black entertainer at the time. After signing a seven-year contract with MGM Studios, she moved to Hollywood. Interestingly, the contract was structured so that Horne was not forced to take on roles where she would play a domestic worker, a standard industry practice for African American actors on screen at that time.
By the late 1940s, Horne was suing various restaurants and theaters for discrimination and became an outspoken member of the left-wing group “Progressive Citizens of America.” McCarthyism swept through Hollywood, and Horne soon found herself on the blacklist, believed to be in part due to her friendship with actor Paul Robeson, who was also on the list. She still performed, mostly in upscale nightclubs around the country and in Europe, and was able to make some television appearances. By the mid-1950s, the ban was lifted, and Horne returned to the screen in the 1956 comedy “Meet Me in Las Vegas,” although she wouldn’t star in another film for more than a decade.
However, Horne continued to be a formidable force in her singing career, as seen on albums like “It’s Love” (1955) and “Stormy Weather” (1957). She had a hit single with her version of “Love Me or Leave Me,” and her concert performance “Lena Horne at The Waldorf Astoria” became the best-selling album by a female singer for her RCA label at the time. She also starred with Mexican actor Ricardo Montalban in the popular Broadway musical “Jamaica,” which ran from 1957 to 1959.
The One-Woman Show “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music”
Lena Horne was very active in the Civil Rights Movement, speaking at rallies across the country on behalf of the National Council of Negro Women and participating in the 1963 March on Washington. During this era, she released albums like “Feelin’ Good” (1965) and “Lena in Hollywood” (1966). In 1970 and 1971, Horne’s son, father, and brother all died. Although she toured with Tony Bennett and made television appearances, Lena spent several years in deep mourning and was less visible.
In 1981, the singer made a triumphant return to Broadway with her one-woman show, “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.” The acclaimed, emotionally searing show ran on Broadway for 14 months before the singer toured in the United States and abroad. Her show won a Drama Desk Award as well as two Grammy Awards for the soundtrack.
In 1994, Horne gave one of her final concerts at New York’s “Supper Club.” The performance was recorded and released in 1995 as “An Evening With Lena Horne: Live at the Supper Club,” going on to win a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Horne was married to Louis Jones from 1937 to 1944, and they had two children. She then married Lenny Hayton, a white bandleader, in December 1947 in Paris, but they kept their marriage a secret for three years.
