I know I normally salute people by telling you facts about their life (birthdate, college attended, major accomplishments, etc.) but I believe Horne deserves an unconventional salute. I believe you get to see a special part of people when they are doing what they love. Hence, this salute will feature footage of Horne doing what she loved-performing.
Fast facts
Born: June 30, 1917 in Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Joined the ancestors: May 9, 2010
Why we love her: She broke down barriers in Hollywood by earning roles outside of what black actresses were assigned (cooks, maids, etc.). She was our first black sex symbol as a pinup girl during WWII.
Lena Horne sings "Someday my Prince will come" in 1967:
Check out footage of Lena Horne on Sanford & Son (still one of my favs):
Lena Horne sings the alphabet on Sesame Street:
Lena Horne on Flip Wilson in 1973:
Lena Horne on the Tonight Show in 1982:
Lena Horne on Rosie O'Donnell in 1997:
Lena Horne's Gap commercial:
Click here to see her appearance on A Different World
HINT: If you can't see the videos click the title of this post and voila! problem solved.
President & Michelle Obama's statement expressing their condolences when you read the rest.