Delta Sigma Theta’s Lena Horne Broke Barriers in Hollywood and Fought for Civil Rights

Did you know that the legendary singer, actress, and activist Lena Horne was an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.?

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. She got her start as a teenager dancing in the chorus at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club, and her extraordinary voice and presence quickly carried her to the top of the entertainment world. Horne was invited to become an honorary member of the sorority and initiated in 1958 by national president Dr. Jeanne Noble and executive director Patricia Roberts Harris. 

Horne broke barriers in Hollywood. She became one of the first Black performers to sign a long-term contract with a major film studio, but she refused to accept the demeaning, stereotypical roles that Black actors were so often forced to play. She is best remembered for her signature song and film, Stormy Weather, which made her an international star and remains one of the great standards in American music.

Her courage matched her talent. During World War II, Horne refused to perform for segregated audiences on USO tours, and she was later blacklisted during the McCarthy era because of her activism and associations. Undeterred, she remained a committed supporter of the civil rights movement, taking part in the 1963 March on Washington and lending her voice to rallies and fundraisers for the cause.

Late in her career, Horne conquered Broadway with her 1981 one-woman show Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, which earned her a special Tony Award and multiple Grammys. She was also honored with the Kennedy Center Honors and the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal.

Lena Horne died on May 9, 2010, in New York City. From the Cotton Club to the Kennedy Center, Delta Sigma Theta’s Lena Horne spent her life breaking barriers and refusing to be anything less than her full, dignified self.