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On Sunday May 9th, the ground-breaking African American actress and singer Lena Horne died at the age of 92. Known for paving the way for blacks in film, she was among the first African Americans to sign a long-term contract with a major studio, MGM. Lena Horne was signed up as a member of the NAACP as a toddler by her fierce and active grandmother Cora. She went on to be a strong campaigner for civil rights and her voice is preserved in the Pacifica Radio Archives. At her funeral last Friday in New York, former New York Mayor David Dinkins called Lena Horne, “one of our greatest treasures.” Another speaker at her funeral, a former Tuskeegee airman, said “[she] used her celebrity to fight the indignities of the time.”

Last year a biography of Lena Horne by acclaimed author James Gavin was published called Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne.

Thank you Gifts:

Stormy Weather by James Gavin – $100

Lena Horne in the Pacifica Radio Archives – $75