Lena Horne was born the same year as my mother, 1917, passing away this past week at 92. Sometimes I wonder why I remain so influenced by music, only to be reminded by the passing of greats like Lena Horne that I was born at the right time is the last century, a time when so many talented musicians were singing and playing to our heart and our spirit. I remember many a night going to sleep listening to late night jazz & blues music in Chicago. What a time!
One of those musicians was Lena Horne. I not only was influenced by her music, but also her activism. Lena was blacklisted in the 1950′s due to her political beliefs and her loyalty to other lefties like Paul Robeson.
The other evening, the PBS News Hour covered her death by playing a segment recorded on her 80th birthday:
“My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman, I’m not alone, I’m free. I no longer, I say I’m free because I no longer have to be a credit, I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else. “
Lena Horne, a great musician, a great American!
kenne
(Image source: http://www.kenyada.com/lena.htm
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