[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               INTRODUCING THE LENA HORNE RECOGNITION ACT

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2011

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Lena Horne Recognition Act, a bill to posthumously honor Lena Horne 
with a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her many achievements 
and contributions to American culture and the Civil Rights Movement. A 
symbol of elegance and grace, the legendary Lena Horne entertained 
America and broke racial barriers as a singer, dancer, and actress for 
over 60 years. Ms. Horne passed away a year ago yesterday, in New York 
City on May 9, 2010 at the age of 92.
  Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New 
York. Her path to international stardom would take her from Harlem's 
famous Cotton Club, where she was hired as a chorus dancer at the age 
of 16, to Charlie Barnet's jazz band, where she became one of the first 
African American women to tour with an all-white band, to Hollywood and 
Broadway.
  In the 1940s, Ms. Horne was discovered by a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) 
talent scout and moved to Hollywood to be an actress, becoming the 
first black artist to sign a long-term contract with a major studio. 
Despite her extraordinary beauty and talent, however, she was often 
limited to minor acting roles because of her race. Among many lost 
opportunities, studio executives cast fellow actress Ava Gardner as 
Julie in the film adaptation of Show Boat instead of Ms. Horne because 
they did not want it to star a black actress. However, she dazzled 
audiences and critics in a number of films, including Cabin in the Sky 
and Stormy Weather.
  The struggle for equal and fair treatment was an inseparable and 
increasingly political part of Ms. Home's life. During World War II, 
Ms. Horne toured extensively with the United Service Organizations, USO 
on the West Coast and in the South in support of the troops. She was 
out-spoken in her criticism of the way black soldiers were treated, 
refusing to sing for segregated audiences or to groups in which German 
prisoners of war were seated in front of African American servicemen.
  During the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s, Ms. Horne was 
blacklisted as a communist for seven years because of her civil rights 
activism and friendship with Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois. Although 
she continued to face discrimination, Ms. Horne's career flourished in 
television and on nightclub stages across the country. It was during 
this time that she also established herself as a major recording 
artist. In 1957, she recorded Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria, which 
reached the Top 10 and became the best-selling album by a female singer 
in RCA Victor's history.
  Ms. Horne used her talent and fame to become a powerful voice for 
civil rights and equality. In 1963, she participated in the historic 
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. delivered his immortal ``I Have a Dream'' speech. She also 
performed at rallies throughout the country for the National Council 
for Negro Women and worked with the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), of which she was the cover girl 
for their monthly bulletin at the age of 2, in addition to being a 
member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
  In 1981, Ms. Horne finally received the big break she had waited for 
her whole life--a one-woman Broadway show. Lena Horne: The Lady and Her 
Music, was the culmination of her triumphs and struggles. It enjoyed a 
14-month run before going on tour and earned her a special Tony award 
for distinguished achievement in theater and two Grammys. Ms. Horne was 
also the recipient of the Kennedy Center honor for lifetime 
contribution to the arts in 1984 and in 1989 received a lifetime 
achievement Grammy Award. She received two stars on the Hollywood Walk 
of Fame--for her work in both motion pictures and recording--in 
addition to a footprint on the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame 
at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.
  Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne was an extraordinary woman who refused to 
give up her dreams and used her beauty, talent, and intelligence to 
fight racial discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support the Lena 
Horne Recognition Act to honor the life and legacy of Ms. Lena Horne 
with a Congressional Gold Medal.

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