Lena Horne: racism and resilience in the Golden Age of Hollywood

About this episode

This episode explores the life and career of Lena Horne, highlighting her struggles with racism and her contributions to the civil rights movement.

Greg Jenner is joined in twentieth-century America by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn all about singer and Hollywood actress Lena Horne. Born into a middle class Black family in New York, a young Lena Horne soon followed in the footsteps of her actress mother and made her début at the famous Cotton Club aged only 16. After making her name as a singer and performer – and following the end of her tumultuous first marriage – Horne transferred to the west coast and bagged a Hollywood contract with MGM. There, she appeared in a number of classic films, including Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky. Over the next several years, she would also perform for the troops in the Second World War, fall in love with and marry a white composer and arranger, undertake an international tour, and become one of the most popular nightclub performers of the post-war era. But the racism of segregation-era America would also shape and limit the career of the woman known as ‘the first Black pin-up girl’, eventually leading her to the civil rights movement and Black activism in the 1960s. This episode traces Lena’s journey from young dancer to Hollywood star and renowned…

People in this episode

Host: Greg Jenner

Guests: Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins, Desiree Burch

Topics covered

• Lena Horne
• Hollywood
• racism
• civil rights
• Black activism
• music
• mid-century America

Keywords

• Lena Horne
• Hollywood actress
• racism
• civil rights
• music history
• Black culture
• segregation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MGM

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