Black History Month: Lena Horne
via Getty This week's post focuses on someone whose influence wasn't just in the theatre world, but has inspired those working in film and pop/jazz music as well. Lena Horne was an activist and an artist with a 70+ years long career. She was in movies. She was an activist. She was one of the first black performers in The Empire Room in the Waldorf-Astoria. She retired in 1980 and then went on to be in her own one-woman Broadway show that won her a Tony award - Live On Broadway Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music . After reading story upon story of this fierce, 5'5" lady, it seems to me that she was unstoppable, but she had to be because of the world around her. She had to fight harder than those half as talented just to be seen and cast. Lena's career started in the chorus at The Cotton Club - a Harlem nightclub popular with celebrities during prohibition. After she had gained notoriety in the chorus, she participated in shows at Cafe Society in New York ...