[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 67 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 67

 Expressing the sense of Congress 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

                           February 26, 2009

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress 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 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 Horne began singing at Harlem's famed Cotton Club at age 16 and began 
        performing on Broadway soon after;
Whereas 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 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 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.
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