[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3498-H3500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF LENA HORNE
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1362) celebrating the life and achievements of
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne and honoring her for her triumphs against
racial discrimination and her steadfast commitment to the civil rights
of all people.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1362
Whereas Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was a trail-blazing
performing artist whose life exemplified her commitment to
social justice, peace, and civil rights;
Whereas Ms. Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York on June
30, 1917, and joined the chorus of the famed Cotton Club in
Harlem at the age of 16 and debuted on Broadway one year
later in the musical ``Dance With Your Gods'' (1934);
Whereas during the 1940s, Ms. Horne was one of the first
African American women to perform with a white band ensemble,
the first black performer to play the Copacabana nightclub,
and among the first African Americans to sign a long-term
Hollywood film studio contract, garnering her roles in a host
of films, including ``Thousands Cheer'' (1943), ``Broadway
Rhythm'' (1944), ``Two Girls and a Sailor'' (1944),
``Ziegfeld Follies'' (1946);
Whereas her rendition of the title song to the 1943 film
``Stormy Weather'' became a major hit and among her signature
pieces, which also included ``Deed I Do'', ``As Long As I
Live'', and Cole Porter's ``Just One of Those Things'';
Whereas Ms. Horne recorded prolifically into the 1990s and
the record ``Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria'' became the
best-selling album by a female singer in RCA Victor's
history;
Whereas Ms. Horne earned four Grammy Awards during the
course of her career, including the Recording Academy's
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989, a National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People Image Award in 1999,
and a Kennedy Center Honor in 1984;
Whereas Ms. Horne appeared extensively on television,
including specials with Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett,
numerous musical reviews and variety shows, and appearances
on programs like ``Sesame Street'' and ``The Cosby Show'';
Whereas she was nominated for her first Tony Award in 1957
for her role in the musical ``Jamaica'', and her 1981 one-
woman Broadway show, ``Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music'',
earned her a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, and ran for more
than 300 performances;
Whereas despite Ms. Horne's pioneering contract with MGM
studios, she was never featured in a leading role during the
1940s and 50s because her films had to be reedited for
theaters in Southern States that proscribed films with black
performers;
Whereas Ms. Horne was outspoken in her fight for racial
equality;
Whereas during World War II, she used her own money to
travel and entertain the troops;
Whereas while Ms. Horne performed at Army camps for the
U.S.O., she became an outspoken critic of the treatment of
African American servicemen and refused to sing before
segregated audiences and at venues in which German Prisoners
of War were seated in front of black soldiers;
Whereas during the late 1940s, Ms. Horne sued a number of
restaurants and theaters for racial discrimination;
Whereas Ms. Horne was only two years old when her
grandmother, suffragette, and civil rights activist Cora
Calhoun enrolled her as a member of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People, and she worked for
years with the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the Urban
League;
Whereas she participated in numerous civil rights rallies
and demonstrations--marching with Medgar Evers in
Mississippi, performing at rallies throughout the Nation for
the National Council of Negro Women, and taking part in the
March on Washington in August 1963 at which the Rev. Martin
Luther King, Jr., delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech;
Whereas her commitment to civil rights and political views
may have resulted in her appearance on Hollywood
``blacklists'' during the 1950s;
Whereas Ms. Horne worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass
antilynching legislation;
Whereas with her wide musical range and consummate
professionalism, she rose beyond Hollywood's stereotypical
portrayals of African American as maids, butlers, and African
natives; and
Whereas her poise, grace, and courage paved the way for
generations of women and African Americans: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives celebrates the
life and achievements of Lena Mary Calhoun Horne and honors
her for her triumphs against racial discrimination and her
steadfast commitment to the civil rights of all people.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative
days to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONYERS. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne has now left us, but she has been known
around the world as an outstanding actress, singer, and civil rights
advocate. And this resolution honors her pioneering success, her
unwavering commitment to advancing the civil rights and human rights of
all people.
She went on to break numerous racial barriers as a beautiful,
talented, gifted artist, and there are very few people who don't
remember her. She received four Grammy awards, a Tony award, the
highest honor--the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People's Image award, in 1984 the Kennedy Center Honor, and she was a
star at MGM studios. She used her own resources to travel during World
War II to entertain troops. She did refuse at that time to sing before
any segregated audiences.
She marched with Medgar Evers in Mississippi, and she was honored to
know and work with Eleanor Roosevelt.
What a legend, what a life, and what a great contribution to this
country she made.
Mr. Speaker, on May 9, the actress and civil rights advocate Lena
Mary Calhoun Horne passed away at the age of 92. Today the House
considers a resolution to honor her pioneering success and her
unwavering commitment to advancing the civil rights of all people.
Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Ms. Horne began her prolific career at
Harlem's famed Cotton Club at the age of 16 as a chorus-singer, and
debuted on Broadway just a year later in the 1934 musical Dance With
Your Gods.
She would go on to break numerous racial barriers in the 1940s
American entertainment industry--including being the first African
American woman to perform with a white band
[[Page H3499]]
ensemble, and among the first to sign a long-term Hollywood film studio
contract.
Ms. Horne's films gained her national and international acclaim--her
performance of the title song to the 1943 film Stormy Weather is still
the standard rendition.
Ms. Horne won numerous accolades during her career, among them:
Four Grammy Awards, including the Recording Academy's Lifetime
Achievement Award in 1989;
A Tony Award for her one-woman show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her
Music;
A National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Image Award in 1999; and
A Kennedy Center Honor in 1984.
But her success did not come without trial--Ms. Horne, like a
generation of African American performers, had to overcome the
entertainment industry's entrenched race-based discrimination.
Despite her groundbreaking contract with MGM studios, Ms. Horne was
never featured in a leading role during the 1940s and 50s because her
films had to be re-edited for theaters in the segregated southern
States.
Her outspoken political views may also have landed her on Hollywood
``blacklists'' in the 1950s, further hindering her film and recording
career.
Ms. Horne used her own money to travel during World War II to
entertain the troops, and while she performed at Army camps with the
U.S.O., she became an outspoken critic of how the military treated its
black servicemen.
She refused to sing before segregated audiences, or groups in which
German prisoners of war were seated in front of black American
soldiers.
During the 1940s, she sued a number of restaurants and theaters for
racial discrimination, and she participated in numerous civil rights
rallies and demonstrations.
She marched with Medgar Evers in Mississippi, performed at rallies
throughout the country for the National Council of Negro Women, and
took part in the March on Washington in August 1963 at which the Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech.
She also worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lynching
legislation.
Her courageous commitment to civil rights perhaps began as a toddler,
when her grandmother--the suffragette and civil rights advocate Cora
Calhoun--enrolled her as an NAACP member at the age of 2.
Actively recording and speaking into her 80s, she will forever be
remembered as a consummate professional and trailblazer.
She helped to usher in the end of Hollywood's derogatory portrayals
of African Americans as servants and African natives, and she did so
with unwavering poise and grace.
She led the way for generations of women and African Americans, and I
urge my colleagues to support this important resolution to recognize
her achievements.
I reserve my time.
Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support House Resolution 1362 commemorating the life
of Lena Horne who died earlier this month on Sunday, May 9, 2010.
Ms. Horne's many performances as a singer, dancer, and actress
enriched countless lives and influenced the history of jazz, pop,
Broadway musicals, films, and television. She also contributed in
significant ways to the civil rights movement, as Mr. Conyers just
stated.
Ms. Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1917. Her father left
the family when she was 3 and her mother was a traveling actress. At
the age of 5, she was sent to live in Georgia with her grandparents.
After returning to New York, she joined the chorus at the famed Cotton
Club in Harlem in 1933. In the late 1930s and the early 1940s, she was
primarily a nightclub performer, but she also appeared in a few low-
budget movies and was the featured vocalist on NBC's popular jazz
series ``The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.''
During a nightclub performance in Hollywood in 1943, she gained the
attention of some local talent scouts for the movies. She became the
first black performer to sign a long-term contract with a major
Hollywood studio. She performed in a number of movie musicals
throughout the 1940s, including the MGM musical ``Cabin in the Sky.''
From the late 1950s through the 1960s, Ms. Horne appeared on many
television variety shows, including ``The Ed Sullivan Show'' and ``The
Dean Martin Show.'' In the 1970s and 1980s, she continued to perform in
television shows, including appearances on ``The Muppet Show,''
``Sesame Street,'' and ``The Cosby Show.''
In 1981, she received a special Tony award for a one-woman Broadway
show, ``Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music,'' which ran for more than
300 performances on Broadway. She also received two Grammy awards for
the cast recording of her show.
Ms. Horne again won Grammy awards in 1989 honoring her lifetime
achievement, and in 1995, when she was almost 80, for best jazz vocal
performance.
Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Horne found time and energy to
devote to the civil rights movement. In 1963, she spoke and performed
on behalf of the NAACP and the National Council of Negro Women at the
famous March on Washington.
I support this resolution's commemoration of Lena Horne's many
contributions to music, television, theater, and civil rights. She
brought grace and graciousness to every aspect of her work, and I urge
my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Danny Davis, our dear friend
from Chicago, Illinois, as much time as he may consume.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank
Chairman Conyers for yielding time, and I also want to thank him for
his historical memories of the life of Lena Horne. Some people were
fortunate to read about her, but I believe that Chairman Conyers is old
enough to remember her during her heyday. As a matter of fact, I am
also. And I never shall forget my sister and I having the opportunity
to go and watch ``Cabin in the Sky'' when we were little kids. As a
matter of fact, Chris and I talked about that experience with each
other all the way up until the time that she died a few years ago. I
mean, for us, that was the most memorable thing that we had ever seen,
that we had ever done, that we had ever been able to do.
We didn't know much about civil rights at that time. As a matter of
fact, I guess we were a little young to know much about civil rights.
But we did know that we just revered this lady, Lena Horne. And then
later on as we got older, we were able to appreciate her in different
kinds of roles as not only an entertainer, not only a great performer,
but also one who had a tremendous amount of spirit in relationship to
what it is that she taught. She taught that you really didn't have to
take certain kinds of roles if you didn't want them and if you didn't
see yourself that way; that it didn't matter what anybody called you;
that what really mattered was what you answered to.
And so Lena Horne, who was ageless, priceless--we never knew what her
age was because we could never tell. When she was 60, I guess she might
have looked like she was 30, maybe 25. So somehow or another, she found
the fountain of youth. But she contributed greatly to the development
of this country and to the world in which we live.
So again, I want to thank Chairman Conyers for introducing this
resolution, along with Representative Clarke and other cosponsors.
Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1362,
Celebrating the Life and Achievements of Lena Mary Calhoun Horne.
I want to first thank my friend, mentor, and co-author, Chairman John
Conyers, Jr. working with me to craft this resolution and for bringing
it to the floor for a vote.
I am here today to pay tribute to one of Brooklyn's most treasured
gifts to American arts, culture, and civil society. On May 9, 2010,
Hollywood actress, jazz singer, and civil rights activist Lena Horne
passed away at the age of 92.
Ms. Horne was a trail-blazing performing artist whose life
exemplified her commitment to social justice, peace, and civil rights.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ms. Horne made her debut performance in
the famous Cotton Club in Harlem at the age of 16, propelling her into
a thriving career that took her from Broadway to Hollywood.
A major contributor to the arts, Ms. Horne's legacy as a Broadway
star, movie star, and Grammy-award winning recording artist will never
be forgotten. Her long career was punctuated by a number of notable
firsts and industry accolades. She was the first African-American woman
to perform with a white band ensemble, the first black performer to
play the Copacabana nightclub, and among the first African Americans to
sign a long-term Hollywood
[[Page H3500]]
film studio contract. Industry recognized her talents with four Grammy
Awards, the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Tony Award,
and a Kennedy Center Honor.
A member of the NAACP since the age of two, Ms. Horne was an avid
supporter of the civil rights movement. She participated in numerous
civil rights rallies and demonstrations, including the March on
Washington in August 1963. Joining Eleanor Roosevelt, Ms. Horne worked
to pass anti-lynching legislation.
A major supporter of the troops, during World War II, Ms. Horne
initially toured with the USO performers. After criticizing the
treatment of African-American troops, Ms. Horne refused to perform for
a segregated military audience. When her studio pulled Horne off the
tour as a response to her act of defiance, she ultimately used her own
money to finance trips to perform at Army camps. I admire her
dedication to honoring our troops.
Ms. Horne left behind a legacy that has forever changed the
opportunities available for female African-American performers. But
even more important, Ms. Horne is a role model for young women of every
race who are brave enough to follow their dreams or speak out against
injustice.
One of Brooklyn's finest, Lena Horne will be truly missed, but her
legacy will forever remain in our memory, like a sweet . . . sweet . .
. melody.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for speakers. I
know that there will be many Members that will be inserting their own
statements in the Record.
I yield back the balance of my time as well.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1362.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________