Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in 1933, a 16-year-old girl named Lena Horne joined the chorus at a famous nightclub in Harlem known as the Cotton Club. This young woman was passionate about performing so she jumped in with both feet. And she never looked back. The following year, Lena Horne made her debut on Broadway. And not long after, she became the first African American performer to sign a long-term contract with a big Hollywood studio, MGM. She blazed a trail. She knew that her talent could outshine the ugliness of racial prejudice so, in the 1940s, she became a major movie star. But despite her success, Lena Horne never forgot her roots or the plight of those who were subjected to hatred and bigotry on a daily basis. She knew that she was a role model and an authority figure--and she used her fame as a platform to raise these issues, and to fight against intolerance. She partnered with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lynching legislation. After the Second World War, she worked with Japanese Americans who had suffered internment and discrimination. And all the while, her star was on the rise. In 1957, she recorded ``Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria'' a record that would become the best-selling album by a female singer in the history of RCA. During the civil rights movement, she stood with leaders like Dr. King at the famous march on Washington. She spoke out for racial equality, and became involved with the NAACP and other groups.…”