Groundbreaking Jazz Singer Lena Horne Dead at the Age of 92

Throughout her illustrious career in the entertainment industry, jazz singer Lena Horne broke barriers on Broadway and in Hollywood despite facing racial obstacles from both African Americans and Caucasian Americans. As a child, African Americans verbally berated her for being a light skinned black woman and she was taunted by Caucasian Americans in an era where racially motivated disdain unfortunately existed on a widespread basis throughout the country.

However, Horne defied the odds and became the first African American entertainer to be signed to a lucrative contract by a premier Hollywood studio, according to The New York Times. She went on to become an international superstar due to her contributions in Hollywood as well as on Broadway and even became an influential activist in the civil rights movement. According to The Associated Press, Horne’s son-in-law has revealed that she passed away on Sunday at the age of 92.

Earlier in her career, Horne spoke about the success that she managed to achieve throughout her career by saying, “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.” Horne was specifically thanked by actress Halle Berry for paving the way for African American entertainers during her acceptance speech at the 2002 Academy Awards.