Remembering Lena Horne

Lena Horne was beautiful, talented and passionate. However, most of all Lena Horne was a trailblazer. She passed away last year at the age of 92 leaving behind a legacy of a career that spanned 70 years, as noted in the CBS news clip. Horne is an incredible inspiration; she grappled with discrimination and adversity before and during the volatile Civil Rights era. However, she gracefully handled the difficulties, which helped her to persevere. Lena Horne was a pioneer. As stated in the report, she was the first African American to accomplish many achievements in the entertainment industry. It could not have been easy to pave the way. She was met with many blatant examples of discrimination and racism. Her story may be different but most definitely resonates with that of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. Horne, along with Douglass and Jacobs, had the courage to push beyond prevalent stereotypes and misconceptions that in turn helped to redefine America. It’s unimaginable that large cities in America like Memphis, Tennessee actually cut footage of Horne from being shown to the public. To look back now, it seems ridiculous. In the past, people’s personal prejudices and ignorance affected the lives of every African American. Lena Horne was just a famous example. However, she did not let these negative forces overtake her. She joined the fight for equality and even marched in Washington D.C. in 1963. Lena Horne will be forever remembered for her beauty and elegance in her music and movies, but America must also remember her as the heroine she was as well.