Legendary singer, performer and trailblazer Lena Horne passed away last night. She was 92. Ms. Horne was the first black performer to be signed to a long-term contract by a major Hollywood studio and and went on to achieve international fame as a singer and performer in nightclubs and on Broadway. My sister and I were lucky enough to see her Tony Award winning one woman show, “Lena, the Lady and Her Music” in the 80′s, Nana took us. I remember being totally inspired and completely obsessed with her glamour and grace after seeing the show.
During the show she spoke openly about the racism that she encountered in Hollywood. They even had devised a special make up for her, called “Light Egyptian“, which was then applied to white actresses such as Ava Gardner and Hedy Lamarr, who took roles that Horne could have possibly played had she been given the chance. Ms. Horne once said, “I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept. I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked.” a small glimpse into a life that was legendary but all at once difficult to live and be present in.
R.I.P. Lena, you will be missed…
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Lianne Farbes writes TheMakeupGirl. She is a Beauty Expert, Social Media Enthusiast, Project Manager, Event Producer, Web 2.0 Cheerleader and she is always online. Follow her on Twitter @TheMakeupGirl and friend her through any of her social profiles here.
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