A brief profile of Lena (in two parts ). From her first appearance to her last.

NAME: Lena Horne
OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist, Actress, Dancer, Pin-up, Singer
BIRTH DATE: June 30, 1917
DEATH DATE: May 09, 2010
PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, New York
PLACE OF DEATH: New York, New York
FULL NAME: Lena Mary Calhoun Horne
AKA: Lena Horne
AKA: Helena Horne

Synopsis:
Actress and singer Lena Horne was born June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. She left school at age 16 to help support her mother and became a dancer at the Cotton Club in Harlem. She later sang at Carnegie Hall and appeared in such films as Stormy Weather and The Wiz. She was also known for her work with civil rights groups, and refused to play roles that stereotyped African-American women.

Early Life:
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of a banker and an actress. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and because her mother traveled as part of various theater troupes, Horne alternately accompanied her on the road and stayed with family and friends around the country.

Early Career:
At age 16, Horne dropped out of school and began performing at the Cotton Club in Harlem. A few years later, she joined the Noble Sissle Society Orchestra, using the name Helena Horne. Then, after appearing in the Broadway musical revue Lew Leslie's Bl.