Cora calhoun horne s roots were in the family lena horne s daughter, gail lumet buckley, has chronicled in her book the black calhouns. When she was three years old, her father, edwin teddy horne, and her mother, edna, divorced. Lena horne children, bio, husband, parents, family. Lena mary calhoun horne june 30, 1917 may 9, 2010 was an american singer, dancer, actress, and civil rights activist. After her father who worked in the gambling trade left the family when she was three years old, horne lived with paternal grandparents.
Her mother dreamed of celebrate the life of lena horne, the pioneering african american actress and civil rights activist, with this inspiring and powerful picture book from. Family history provides a window into black liberation. Lena mary calhoun horne was born on june 30, 1917, in brooklyn, new york. Her mother, edna, was a part of various theater troupes that travelled extensively, so lena lived with her grandparents cora calhoun and edwin horne. Her mother, edna, was an actress with an african american theater troupe and traveled extensively. That lena horne and her family had the courage of their convictions is made quite clear. Maintained by find a grave cremated, ashes given to family or friend.
Gail lumet buckley left and her mother, lena horne, at an awards ceremony in 1987. Buckley is a history professor, and the best parts of the book for me were the purely historical chapters about her great great great grandfather moses calhoun, who was the butler for the family that owned him, and who was one of a tiny number of slaves who could. Lena hornes story, as told by her daughter wbur news. This is a popular history memoir by lena hornes daughter about her mothers remarkable family from the end of the civil war until the 1960s. Gail lumet buckley will discuss the black calhouns at the southern festival of books. Her daughter, gail lumet buckley, wrote in her 1986 book the hornes.
Trusted information source for millions of people worldwide. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. The daughter of lena horne, gail lumetbuckley, second right, and granddaughter jenny lumet third right, are surrounded by friends and family at the funeral for entertainer and civil rights. She was born on 30th june 1917 and died on 9th may 2010. More than a loving biography of a true show business legend, lumet buckley traces lena s, as well as her own, roots as the latest in a long family line of americas black elite. It is very detailed in telling the life of the great american entertainer lena horne.
I hungered for more details and analysis as i read this book by lena hornes daughter. Four years later, she was described in the new york times as a radiantly beautiful sepia girl who will be a winner. Gail jones is now gail buckley and the author of several books including the hornes. The indiana state librarys horne family collection l327 contains numerous photographs of the family, newspaper clippings concerning edwins career and various correspondence including a letter from benjamin harrison dated 1884 which indicates that harrison was considering a run for the presidency of the united states. Her mother was an actress who traveled with a black theatre troupe. More than a loving biography of a true show business legend, lumet buckley traces lenas, as well as her own, roots as the latest in a long family line of americas black elite. The life of lena horne and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Share your condolences, send flowers, find funeral home information. Lena s early years lena horne was born in brooklyn, new york, on june 30, 1917. The legendary miss lena horne by carole boston weatherford.
Home music 10 facts about lena horne let me show you the interesting information about a renowned afroamerican jazz and pop singer o n facts about lena horne. To view the collection or for more information, please contact the rare books and manuscripts division. She was raised in pittsburgh, pennsylvania and in new york city. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Horne was mainly raised by her grandparents, cora calhoun and edwin horne. Her grandmother was an activist for africanamericans and because she made sure lena was involved in programs. Her parents separated when she was a child, and she lived with her paternal grandparents and uncle. From civil war to civil rights with one africanamerican family gail lumet buckley. Lena horne on the cover of the crisis, the official magazine of the national association for the advancement of colored people naacp. Buckley s family was part of the old black middle class. Horne left school at age 16 to help support her ailing mother and became a dancer at the cotton club in harlem, new york city. Lena horne was a famous american actress and civil rights activist and is remembered for her roles in the duke is tops and cabin in the sky. Lena mary calhoun horne was a woman of versatile talents who wowed audiences with her skills as a dancer and singer.
An article on the style page last friday about a book on lena horne s family by her daughter gail lumet buckley incorrectly quoted a reference to. Horne joined the chorus of the cotton club at the age of 16 and became a nightclub performer before moving to hollywood returning to her roots as a nightclub performer, horne took part in. Her family history the hornes became an american masters documentary, and she narrated a documentary on black american families for pbs. Her parents divorced while she was still a toddler. Horne, a member of the roosevelt black cabinet and poet, and other members of the hornes and their extended family.
Lena horne simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. An american family that among their relatives was a college girlfriend of w. Shop for signed photos, autographs and other autographed items related to lena horne. It was good to read another example of the exaerations told by fellow legendary gangster, frank lucas. Horne was born on june 30, 1917 in brooklyn, new york city. Her first break was as a dancer in the chorus line of the cotton club in new york city, 1933. Trusted by millions of genealogists since 2003 trusted information source for millions of people worldwide. Lena horne was born into the freedom struggle, to a family of teachers and activists.
Both parents had a mixed heritage of african american, european american and native american descent. Daughter of the legendary entertainer lena horne, she was raised among showbusiness royalty. Lena horne was born in brooklyn, new york, on june 30, 1917. Lena mary calhoun horne was the only child born of her parents, edwin fletcher horne and edna luise scottron on june 30, 1917, in brooklyn, new york. Not so from gail lumet buckley, one of lena hornes two children from her marriage to louis jones of pittsburgh. Lena calhoun horne was born june 30, 1917, in brooklyn, new york. Gail lumet buckley was born gail horne jones on december 21, 1937, in pittsburgh, pennsylvania.
Our new desktop experience was built to be your music destination. Jul 19, 2009 so it was at the horne residence, the hub of a family with a sprawling history explored by gail lumet buckley in her book the hornes. Her father, louis jones, was a publisher and her mother, lena horne, was a famous singer and actress. Lena horne historical records and family trees myheritage. Twentiethcentury africanamerican singer and actress. Lena calhoun horne was born in brooklyn, new york, to edna scottron and edwin teddy horne on june 30, 1917. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Horne s career spanned over 70 years, appearing in film, television, and theater. There is good reason for james gavins stormy weather.
Lena mary calhoun horne was born on june 30, 1917, in brooklyn, new york, the daughter of a bankerprofessional gambler and an actress. Dec 25, 2016 home music 10 facts about lena horne let me show you the interesting information about a renowned afroamerican jazz and pop singer o n facts about lena horne. May 05, 20 lena horne in stormy weather 1943 full song. She famously sang stormy weather, won a grammy award for a 1981 album entitled lena horne. Her mother left later in order to find work as an actress and lena was left in the. We expect indecent exposure from books by children of celebrities. Explore historical records and family tree profiles about lena horne on myheritage, the worlds family history network. Her father edwin left the family when horne was three years old. Included are articles, programs, awards, memorabilia, business correspondence and papers, financial data, and other printed material dealing with the careers of singer lena horne, her uncle, frank s.
Lena horne biography wiki biodata profile information details updates latest news personal life history interview about lena horne lena horne is a popular african american singer, dancer, actress, and civil rights activist. In two years at the cotton club she appeared with such entertainers as cab calloway and. Lena horne biography life, family, story, death, history. The lady and her music, and appeared in film versions of the wiz, broadway rhythm, and ziegfeld follies. Jan 24, 2017 the legendary miss lena horne ebook written by carole boston weatherford. Lena horne hugging her brilliant daughter gail jones. The life of lena horne to take up when you count the notes, bibliography, discography, filmography and index nearly 600 pages.
Lena by horne lena schickel richard abebooks passion for books. For seven years she grew up living in brooklyn with her grandparents. She lived with her grandmother, cora calhoun, and her grandfather, edwin horne. Lena horne the complete guide this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. A personal and professional biography of lena horne. May 09, 2010 lena horne, american singer and actress who first came to fame in the 1940s. Lena horne biography tells of a star shaped by rejection. American jazz and pop singer, actress and civil rights activist lena mary calhoun horne was born on june 30, 1917, in brooklyn. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the legendary miss lena horne. Lena horne facts, worksheets, singer, activist, civil. Horne family collection indiana state libraryindiana state. Four years later, she was described in the new york times as a radiantly beautiful sepia girl who will be a winner when she has proper directionphotograph. Hornes life touches on the lives of so many black notables such as paul robeson, cab callaway, noble sissle, joe lewis, william e. Jul 19, 2009 there is good reason for james gavins stormy weather.
Gail lumet buckley is a journalist and the daughter of lena horne. May 12, 20 lena horne hugging her brilliant daughter gail jones, backstage at the york playhouse on october 6, 1960 after gail made her stage debut in the musical valmouth. These welleducated bourgeois african americans were descended from a nephew of secessionist vice president john c. Horne, like many members of the calhoun family, was a very accomplished person. Her father was edwin teddy horne, a numbers game banker, who left the family when she was three. Beginning with her greatgreatgrandfather, moses calhoun, a house slave who used the rare advantage of his education to become a. Natures baby is a 1971 studio album by lena horne, arranged by ray ellis. The life of lena horne by james gavin reveals a woman whose life reflects the civil rights struggles of the times. Her father, edwin teddy horne, who worked in the gambling trade, left the family when lena was three.
Still, it was interesting to read about the talented tenth, the middle and upper classes of generations of one black family. However, when you get into some parts of the story you tend to feel if what the author is writing is totally true or if he just got that from another magazine article or book on this famous icon of. Beginning with her greatgreat grandfather moses calhoun, a house slave who used the rare advantage of his education to become a successful businessman in postwar. To know more about her childhood, career, profile and timeline read on. In the black calhouns, gail lumet buckleydaughter of actress lena hornedelves deep into her family history, detailing the experiences of an extraordinary africanamerican family from civil war to civil rights. May 09, 2010 lena mary calhoun horne june 30, 1917 may 9, 2010 was an american singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer. A new childrens book about lena horne the legendary miss lena horne was illustrated by albany artist elizabeth zunon. Not so from gail lumet buckley, one of lena horne s two children from her marriage to louis jones of pittsburgh. Hornes career spanned over 70 years, appearing in film, television, and theater.
I enjoyed learning about his family history but especially liked the description of the coauthors encounter with the queen, madame st. An inspired, intimate history of musical legend lena horne and her family, written by lena s daughter, gail lumet buckley. In her biography she stated that, on the day she was born, her father was in the midst of a card game trying to get money to pay the hospital costs. In the black calhouns, gail lumet buckleydaughter of actress lena hornedelves deep into her family history, detailing the experiences of an extraordinary african american family from civil war to civil rights. Lena mary calhoun horne, the greatgranddaughter of a freed slave, was born in brooklyn june 30, 1917, to a leading family in the black bourgeoisie. How lena horne escaped hollywoods blacklist the atlantic. Gail lumet buckleys family history provides a window into. The rap on my husband, ellsworth bumpy johnson paperback november 9, 2012. Buckley also chronicles the family s history in her 1986 book, the hornes. An outspoken foe of discrimination, horne was blacklisted in the 1950s for condemning racism, as well as for her association with paul robeson, a performer with communist ties. Although buckleys mother, lena horne, is the most famous member of the family, the book makes it clear that she was only one of its noteworthy success stories. Her recordings include more than you know 1946, lena horne sings your requests 1963, and an evening with lena horne 1994.
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