Lena Horne
One of my favorites, Lena Horne, was born on this date in 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. While the beautiful and legendary Lena is best-known for her amazing singing voice, she was also a very good actress. Among other films and television shows, she appeared in Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather, Ziegfeld Follies, Sanford and Son, Death of a Gunfighter, The Wiz, and The Cosby Show. I strongly believe that had she been given roles worthy of her (she was very particular what type of role she would accept and, sadly, studios were very set in their ways on the roles they would offer), she would have been as known, today, for her acting and movies as she is her vocals and music.
Either way, make no mistake about it, the lady was a star and the lady is a legend.
She was also a passionate activist, seeking to make everyone’s lives better – regardless of the color their skin happened to be. Her activism was a strong part of who she was and one of the things I’d love to see her remembered for.