39+ Lena Horne Quotes On Education, Culture And Her Own Words

Lena Horne (1917 - 2010) was an American actress, singer, and civil rights activist. She was the first African American woman to be nominated for a Tony Award and the first African American to appear on the cover of Life magazine. She was also one of the few African American performers to gain success in the 1940s and 1950s. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Lena Horne on love, life, education.

Top 10 Lena Horne Quotes

1. The naked female body is treated so weirdly in society. It's like people are constantly begging to see it, but once they do, someone's a hoe.
2. Always be smarter than the people who hire you.
3. My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman.
4. You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way.
5. Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.
6. It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.
7. A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.
8. I don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else.
9. music became my refuge and then my salvation.
10. I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody.

Lena Horne Image Quotes

My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman. — Lena Horne

Lena Horne Short Quotes

• It's ill-becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occasionally we do.
• 50 years old is like springtime to me.
• In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I'm black and a woman, singing my own way.
• I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.
• I found out along the way that they like you a little imperfect.
• As much as I try, when I open my mouth, Lena comes out, And I get so mad.
• I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.
• I really do hate to sing.
• I'm still learning, you know. At 80, I feel there is a lot I don't know.
• I'm me, and I'm like nobody else.

Lena Horne Quotes About Made

Every color I can think of and nationality, we were all touched by Dr. King because he made us like each other and respect each other. — Lena Horne

I made a promise to myself to be kinder to other people. — Lena Horne

Malcolm X made me very strong at a time I needed to understand what I was angry about. He had peace in his heart. He exerted a big influence on me. — Lena Horne

Lena Horne Quotes About People

Malcolm X raised my consciousness about myself and my people and other people more than any person I know. I knew him before he became Malcolm X. — Lena Horne

I'm not a career kind of person. When I saw new music, new trends coming in, I didn't see any place for me. And I didn't think about it as a career loss, because I was married - I have a great- grandchild now. The low points were when I lost people that I really cared about. — Lena Horne

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. — Lena Horne

Lena Horne Famous Quotes And Sayings

It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's positive and that it is not worse, rather than the uncomfortable edges of bitterness for the negatives and that it is not better. — Lena Horne

My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman. — Lena Horne

I learned from Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, the Nicholas Brothers, the whole thing, the whole schmear. [The Cotton Club] was a great place because it hired us, for one thing, at a time when it was really rough [for Black performers]. — Lena Horne

I thought of singing and acting as a living-making. I was able to take care of myself and a few of my friends. — Lena Horne

I was lucky, as many of my generation was, in having a man like Dr. King in our lives. He came at a time that we needed to take a long look at each other and see how similar we were. — Lena Horne

You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. But the slanting process is so subtle that you frequently don't realize how you're being slanted until very late in the game. — Lena Horne

The best thing about living... Is the chance to keep on doing it! — Lena Horne

I told them I belong to the same organizations and clubs Mrs. Roosevelt belongs to, but with a few brave exceptions, I was still unable to do films or television for the next seven years. — Lena Horne

I've seen so much. And I've heard so many great performers. There are performers now that couldn't work back in the days when I came along. — Lena Horne

After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must be feeling. It wasn't a nice time. — Lena Horne

Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life. — Lena Horne

You wouldn't be allowed to get on a particular bus, but you'd be asked to sign your autograph. — Lena Horne

Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death. — Lena Horne

I remember the day tDr. King died. I wasn't angry at the beginning. It was like something very personal in my life had been touched and finished. — Lena Horne

Life Lessons by Lena Horne

1. Lena Horne taught us to never give up on our dreams, no matter the obstacles we face. She was a trailblazer in the entertainment industry, paving the way for African-American performers and proving that talent and hard work can overcome any barrier.
2. She also showed us the importance of standing up for what we believe in and using our platform to speak out against injustice. Horne was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and was an early supporter of the NAACP.
3. Finally, Horne demonstrated the power of resilience and self-love. Despite facing racism and sexism throughout her career, she maintained a positive attitude and never stopped believing in herself.