[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 145 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 145

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Lena Horne 
should be recognized as one of the most popular performers of the 1940s 
    and 1950s and for her outspoken opposition to racial and social 
                               injustice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 9, 2003

  Mr. Rangel submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Lena Horne 
should be recognized as one of the most popular performers of the 1940s 
    and 1950s and for her outspoken opposition to racial and social 
                               injustice.

Whereas Lena Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York;
Whereas Lena Horne left school at the age of 14 and took her first stage job in 
        order to help contribute to the family during the Depression;
Whereas Lena Horne began singing at Harlem's famed Cotton Club at age 16 and 
        began performing on Broadway soon after;
Whereas Lena Horne was 21 when she performed in her first feature role, ``The 
        Duke is Tops'', after having taken a number of smaller roles that were 
        often all that was available to blacks in Hollywood at the time;
Whereas Lena Horne was eventually signed with MGM studios, making her the first 
        African-American to be signed to a long-term film contract, only to find 
        that she was edited out of films that were distributed in the South;
Whereas Lena Horne performed in ``Cabin in the Sky'' in 1943, which is often 
        regarded as the premier performance of her career; and
Whereas Lena Horne continues to represent elegance, Hollywood glamour, wisdom, 
        and the strength and determination of an entire generation of performers 
        who struggled through racism and prejudice during the height of their 
        careers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that Lena Horne should be recognized 
for her achievements as a singer and Hollywood actress, for her 
contributions to the struggles for equality, and for using her 
celebrity as a catalyst for change.
                                 <all>