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Early Life
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York Her parents separated when she was three, and because her mother traveled as part of various theater troupes, Horne lived with her grandparents for a time. Later, she alternately accompanied her mother on the road and stayed with family and friends around the country. -
Early Fame
At age 16, Horne dropped out of school and began performing at the Cotton Club in Harlem. After making her Broadway debut in the fall 1934 production Dance With Your Gods, -
Actress
Horne was placed in a number of films, such as Swings Cheer (1943) and Broadway Rhythm (1944), where she would only appear in singing scenes as an individual performer.She was then able to land lead roles in two 1943 movies with an ensemble African American cast, Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather. Horne made her final film appearance in the 1978 movie The Wiz. The film was a version of The Wizard of Oz that featured an entirely African American cast. -
Activism
By the end of the 1940s, Horne had sued a variety of restaurants and theaters for discrimination and become an outspoken member of the leftist group Progressive Citizens of America. McCarthyism was sweeping through Hollywood, and Horne soon found herself blacklisted. Horne remained active in the Civil Rights Movement, performing at rallies around the country on behalf of the NAACP and the National Council for Negro Women, and she participated in the 1963 March on Washington. -
Singer
Horne continued to be a force when it came to her singing career, as seen with 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 live set Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria became at the time the biggest selling album by a woman for her label, RCA. Horne credited Duke Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn, the esteemed songwriter/pianist,largely responsible for her vocal training, and the two enjoyed a close friendship.