Lena Horne Essay -- Essays Papers

Lena HorneLena Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were case and Edna Scottron Horne. later on her father left her at the mature of two in order to pursue his gambling career her mother leaving in short after that to pursue her acting career she went to brisk with her grandparents. Through her grandparents operate she became involved with organizations like the NAACP, at an early advance.In 1924 she went back to live with her mother, traveling and being schooled all over the state until she was fourteen. At the age of fourteen she fixed to drop reveal of school and go to work. Because she was ingenious and light skinned it was not hard for her to find a job. She became a chorus girl in Harlems Cotton Club where blacks entertained a strictly all white crowd. At that time she was devising about $25 a week. It was here that Lena got to meet and observe flat famous artists such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Ethal Waters, and Billie Holiday. At the age of nineteen she met and married Louis Jones. Together they had two children Gail and Teddy (who later died in 1970 from kidney failure). While trying to get used to raising a family and having a career, she received a call from an agent, who had seen her at the Cotton Club, about a part in a movie. Her controlling hus sight allowed her to be in The Duke is Tops and also the musical revue Blackbirds of 1939. When she finally got up the resolution to leave Louis, he deiced to take her son away from her. She lost clutch of Teddy when the divorce was final and has always regretted not fighting harder for her son. After her divorce she began notification with Noble Sissies Society Orchestra. Through out their patch she had to endure harsh racism having to sleep in tenement house boarding houses, the bus and even once in circus grounds. short after that, she toured with Charlie Barnets Outfit and became the first African American to tour with an all white band. She was their feature singer and considers this to be the beginning of her success.Lena decided to head out to Hollywood and see what she could do out there. She began singing in the Trocadero Club where she met one of the most influential people in her life Billy Strayhom. Billy Strayhom was the chief music-writer for Duke Ellington. Lena has always felt that she and he were soul mates, d... ...becoming the first Africa American to tour with an all white band and also the first African American women to sign a long contract with a major film studio. She was also an accomplished neck singer. Recording songs such as The Lady and Her Music and The Best Things in Life Are Free. Lena was a strong advocate of correspond rights. he was a member of the NAACP, the National Council of Negro women and the Urban League. I ring that she is a great pioneer of equal rights because she did it on her own foothold and was not as forceful as some of the other advocat es. She achieved equal rights and respect because of her grace, elegance and talent.BibliographyMagazines Lena Town & Country, September 95, Vol. 149 issue 5184, page 128. actor Jonathan Schwartz The Lady Lived The Blues Biography, February 98, Vol. 2 issue 2, page 62 reference Beverly Lauderdale Lena Horne, Timeless as Ever Billboard, June 98, Vol. 110 issue 25, page 36 Author Philip BoothWeb Pages www.amctv.com/behind/stars/horne.html www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000006Q62/afrciangenesis www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/6424