Lena Horne was born on June 30, 1917, and was a famed American songster, actress, cotillion , and civil rights activist whose career gauged further than seventy times. She rose to fame as a groundbreaking African- American pantomime, known for her indelible music and witching
performances in Hollywood and on Broadway. Horne was also a oral advocate for civil rights, sharing in notable events similar as the March on Washington in 1963. At the time of her death in 2010, Lena Horne net worth was estimated to be around $30 million. Throughout her life, Lena Horne released multitudinous compendiums , starred in flicks and stage shows, and earned prestigious awards including Grammys.
Despite her public persona, she maintained a private life and lived primarily in Southern California and latterly New York City. Lena Horne left a lasting heritage as both an imitator and a colonist for ethnical equivalency.
Social Profiles
Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lena Mary Calhoun Horne |
| Date of Birth | June 30, 1917 |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York City, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupations | Singer, actress, dancer, civil rights activist |
| Career Span | Over 70 years |
| Career Start | Began performing at the Cotton Club at age 16 (1933) |
| Notable Works | Films: “Stormy Weather,” “Cabin in the Sky,” “The Wiz”; Broadway: “Jamaica,” “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music” |
| Awards | Grammy Awards (including Lifetime Achievement), Special Tony Award |
| Civil Rights Work | Participated in the 1963 March on Washington, advocate for racial integration |
| Marriages | Louis Jordan Jones (1937–1944), Lennie Hayton (1947–1971) |
| Children | Gail Lumet Buckley (daughter), Edwin Jones (son) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Around $30 million at time of death in 2010 |
| Death | May 9, 2010, New York City |
Lena Horne Net Worth in 2025
Lena Horne, the iconic American songster, actress, cotillion , and civil rights activist, had an estimated net worth of around $30 million at the time of her death in 2010. This reflects her expansive career gauging over seven decades, including flicks, stage performances, compendiums , and civil rights work. Throughout her life, she earned significant income from her entertainment career, including a successful Broadway show, and from managing precious real estate parcels she possessed in New York City and California.
| Time Period | Estimated Net Worth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early Career (1930s-1940s) | Not specifically documented | Building fame as a singer and actress; early contracts including MGM deal |
| Mid Career (1950s-1970s) | Not specifically documented | Continued success in film, music, and stage performances |
| Later Career (1980s) | Not specifically documented | Tony Award-winning one-woman show “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music” |
| At Time of Death (2010) | $30 million | Majority around $30 million |
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Business Ventures and Income Sources
Hollywood Studio Contract with MGM (1942-1949)
- Lena Horne was the first Black woman to subscribe a long- term contract with a major Hollywood plant, MGM.
- While the contract handed a stable income and exposure, places were constrained due to ethnical isolation programs; she was frequently limited to singing parts that could be cut for Southern theaters.
- This contract was a significant step in her career and financially economic for her time, though it was marked by ethnical walls.
Film Appearances
- Starred in notable flicks with all- Black casts similar as Cabin in the Sky( 1943) and Stormy Weather( 1943), which were both critical and fiscal successes.
- Appeared in over 20 point and short subject flicks across her career, contributing to her earnings from acting.
Nightclub and Live Performances
- Performed regularly in prominent clubs similar as Café Society and Felix Young Little gallop, gaining income from live shows.
- Voyaged considerably, including USO tenures during WWII( though she protested ethnical demarcation).
- Had a longstanding café career that was a major income source over the decades.
Recording Career
- Released multitudinous compendiums from the 1930s through 2000, numerous under RCA Victor.
- Recordings of Broadway shows, adaptations like Porgy and Bess, and solo records retailed extensively.
- Won three Grammy Awards, including a Continuance Achievement Award in 1989, which underlined her fiscal and cultural success from music deals and royalties.
Broadway and Theater
- Starred in Broadway adaptations, including Jamaica( 1957), Tony & Lena Sing( 1974), and her one- woman show Lena Horne The Lady and Her Music( 1981- 82), for which she won a Tony Special Award.
- Broadway shows and tenures contributed to income and increased her profile.
TV and latterly Appearances
- Guest- starred on shows like The Cosby Show and appeared in flicks similar as The intellect( 1978) and pictures suchlike That’s Entertainment! III( 1994).
Real State Ownership and Properties
Lena Horne possessed significant real estate parcels, primarily in New York City. She possessed five apartments at a structure known as The Volney, located on the Upper East Side at 23 East 74th Street and Madison Avenue. She used one of these apartments as her primary hearthstone while the others served colorful purposes similar as storehouse, office space, and guest lodgment . Since her death in 2010, utmost of these units have been vended.
One of her notable parcels was a 2,100- forecourt- bottom apartment that served as her main living space and was vended for roughly$ 2.2 million. also, her particular home office — a one- bedroom, roughly 900- forecourt- bottom apartment with minimum emendations and abundant natural light — was listed for about$ 1.075 million. The structure offers amenities like a 24- hour gatekeeper, rooftop sundeck, and laundry installations.
These apartments and her real estate effects were inherited by her son, Gail Lumet Buckley, and have attracted attention from buyers interested in retaining a piece of Lena Horne’s heritage. The parcels reflect not only significant fiscal means but also a literal connection to the iconic pantomime and activist.
Personal Life
Lena Horne was born on June 30, 1917, in Bedford – Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, to Edwin and Edna Horne. Her family background was a blend of African American, European American, and Native American strain, and they belonged to the well- educated upper stratum of Black New Yorkers at the time. Her parents separated when she was youthful, and Lena spent corridor of her nonage living with her mama , cousins, and others, moving between colorful locales before settling back in Brooklyn as a teenager.
She married Louis Jordan Jones, a political operative, in January 1937. They had two children a son, Gail Lumet Buckley, born in 1937, and a son, Edwin Jones, born in 1940, who failed of order complaint in 1970. Lena and Louis separated in 1940 and disassociated in 1944. Her alternate marriage was to Lennie Hayton, MGM’s music director and captain, in December 1947 in Paris. Despite societal challenges and ethnical walls, they remained wedded until his death in 1971 but separated in the early 1960s.
Family
- First Husband Louis Jordan Jones( married 1937, separated 1944)
- Children Gail Lumet Buckley( son), Edwin Jones( son, departed)
- Second Husband Lennie Hayton( married 1947, separated early 1960s, he failed 1971)
- Close connections Joe Louis, Artie Shaw, Orson Welles, Vincente Minnelli, Billy Strayhorn
House and Properties
Lena Horne possessed multiple precious real estate parcels in New York City, primarily on the Upper East Side in a structure called The Volney at 23 East 74th Street and Madison Avenue. She possessed five apartments in this structure, using one as her primary hearthstone while the others served as office spaces, storehouse, and guest lodgment . After her death, utmost of these apartments have been vended.
Career Journey
- Beforehand Times( 1933- 1938): Lena began her career at age 16 in 1933 as a cotillion at Harlem’s Cotton Club, a prestigious but segregated venue. She also gained elevation traveling with Noble Sissle’s Orchestra and latterly with the Charlie Barnet Orchestra, before settling as a solo songster at New York’s Café Society, the first integrated café in the megacity.
- Hollywood Advance and MGM Contract( 1942- 1949): In 1942, Horne came the first Black woman to subscribe a long- term contract with a major Hollywood plant, MGM Studios. Despite the contract’s limitations due to ethnical isolation where she was frequently confined to singing places and scenes cut for Southern cult she starred in notable each-Black cast flicks similar as Cabin in the Sky( 1943) and Stormy Weather( 1943), where she sang the now- hand” Stormy Weather.”
- Mid-Career Challenges and Activism( 1950s- 1960s): Horne faced lapses, including blacklisting in TV and film during the McCarthy period due to contended Communist sympathies, which limited her screen appearances. nevertheless, she remained active on stage and café circuits. She also came an open civil rights activist.
- Broadway and Music Renaissance( 1970s- 1980s): Horne returned to prominent stage performances, starring in Broadway adaptations like Jamaica and most specially in her groundbreaking one- woman show Lena Horne The Lady and Her Music( 1981- 1982), which won a Special Tony Award. During these after times, she sustained a successful recording career, winning multiple Grammy Awards, including a Continuance Achievement Award in 1989.
- latterly Times and heritage( 1990s- 2010): Horne continued to travel, perform, and appear in film and TV, including her part as Glinda the Good Witch in the 1978 movie The intellect. Her influence extended beyond entertainment through her activism and advocacy for ethnical integration and civil rights.
Legacy, Awards, and Impact
Legacy
Lena Horne’s heritage as a pioneering African- American artist and civil rights activist endures as one of profound influence in both entertainment and social justice. She broke ethnical walls as the first Black woman inked to a major Hollywood plant contract( MGM) and used her platform to challenge isolation and ethnical demarcation. Her career gauged singing, acting, dancing, and activism for over seventy times, during which she constantly supported for civil rights, including participation in the 1963 March on Washington.
Awards
Lena Horne entered multitudinous prestigious awards during her continuance and posthumously, feting her cultural excellence and activism
- Grammy Awards: Horne won multiple Grammys, including for Lena Horne The Lady and Her Music( 1981) and An Evening With Lena Horne( 1996). She entered a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.
- Tony Awards She won a Special: Tony Award for her one- woman show Lena Horne The Lady and Her Music.
- Kennedy Center Honors: Awarded in 1984 for extraordinary gift and perseverance.
- Drama office and New York Drama: Circle Awards For her acclaimed stage performances.
- NAACP Spingarn Medal( 1983): Celebrating outstanding achievement by an African American.
- Substance Award( 1993): Recognizing her pioneering benefactions and activism.
- Hollywood Walk of Fame: Two stars for stir filmland and recordings.
- Other Lifetime Achievement: Awards Including from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Society of vocalizers.
Impact
Lena Horne’s important combination of cultural gift and civil rights activism made her a vital figure in American history. She abused her visibility to fight ethnical isolation, refusing to perform for segregated cult during World War II, indeed performing for integrated cult in grueling circumstances. Her advocacy work extended beyond entertainment through uninterrupted support of civil rights legislation and associations with crucial activists and associations.
Physical Measurements
- Height: Approximately 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches (160 to 165 cm)
- Weight: Around 119 to 121 pounds (54 to 55 kg)
- Body Measurements (Bust-Waist-Hip): Approximately 34C-24-34 inches
- Bra Size: 34C
- Hair Color: Black
- Eye Color: Black
- Dress Size: Around 4 (US)
- Shoe Size: US 13
- Body Type: Slim and oval-shaped
Struggles with Mental Health, Addiction & Homelessness
Mental Health Challenges
Lena Horne battled depression throughout her life, a retired struggle behind her shining public persona. The violent racism and demarcation she faced in the entertainment assiduity during her career deeply affected her emotional good. The pressure to maintain a perfect image as a groundbreaking African American pantomime added to her passions of insulation and tone- mistrustfulness. Despite this, she demonstrated adaptability by seeking remedy and using her music as a form of emotional expression and mending. latterly in life, she openly bandied her internal health trip, helping to reduce smirch and advocate for internal health mindfulness, particularly in the Black community.
Impact of Particular Loss and Public Pressure
The early 1970s were particularly delicate for Lena Horne when, within 13 months, she lost her hubby, son, and father. These profound particular losses caused deep grief and a period of reclusion. still, she latterly described how these rigors strengthened her and opened her up emotionally to her followership, perfecting her professional depth and connection.
Dependence and Homelessness
There’s no believable substantiation or proved information indicating that Lena Horne plodded with dependence or homelessness during her life. While she faced numerous other severe challenges similar as ethnical demarcation, blacklisting, and internal health battles, dependence or homelessness were n’t among the proved struggles in her memoir or public records.
Current Status
- She was the first African- American pantomime to travel with an each-white band and was a oral advocate against ethnical isolation, specially refusing to perform for segregated cult during World War II. Her activism, combined with her groundbreaking career in Hollywood, Broadway, and music, set a template for using celebrity influence to advance civil rights.
- In recent times, Lena Horne has entered significant postmortem recognition. In 2022, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway was renamed the Lena Horne Theatre, making it the first Broadway theater named after a Black woman, a homage to her cultural and social impact.
- Legislative honors include the passage of the Lena Horne Recognition Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, aiming to award her the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in recognition of her benefactions as a songster, actor, and civil rights activist.
- Her artistic impact persists through events and homage musicales, similar as those planned for 2025 celebrating her music and groundbreaking work.
- Lena Horne’s heritage is also deeply tied to her part as one of the many impersonators who seamlessly integrated cultural excellence with political activism, embodying a lifelong commitment to social justice and equivalency.
Public Perception & Media Coverage
- Cultural Icon and Pioneer Lena: Horne is extensively honored as a transformative figure in American entertainment and civil rights history. Her presence in Hollywood and music challenged prevailing ethnical walls during a segregated period, and she came one of the first Black players to gain broader acceptance among white cult, albeit with complex ethnical dynamics involved. This deposited her both as a trailblazer and as a symbol of the limitations African Americans faced in popular culture.
- Complex Acceptance: Public perception reflected a incongruity described by Horne herself she was” a kind of black that white people could accept,” not inescapably for her full gift but frequently for her appearance. This acceptance was n’t unconditional admiration but mixed with racialized prospects and limitations in the places and openings she was swung.
- Advocate and Oral Critic of Racism: Media content has constantly stressed Lena Horne’s plainspokenness against ethnical demarcation. She used her platform to refuse performances before insulated cult and spoke candidly about the challenges of being a Black woman in the entertainment assiduity. This activism enhanced her public image as not just an imitator but a married civil rights advocate.
- Admired Across Communities: Horne’s influence reached beyond entertainment into social justice, earning respect from associations like the NAACP and public numbers similar as President Barack Obama. Her lifelong commitment to equivalency and justice strengthened her positive image in both African American and broader American communities.
- Heritage in Media and recognizing sweats: Since her death, media narratives have corroborated her heritage as a pioneering artist and activist, with paeans both in the entertainment assiduity and civil rights spheres. specially, the picking of a Broadway theatre after her in 2022 reflects ongoing recognition of her benefactions and lasting artistic impact.
FAQs
What’s Lena Horne’s nation?
American.
Lena Horne cause of death?
Heart failure on May 9, 2010.
What happed to Lena Horne’s son?
Edwin Jones passed down; sensitive details are limited.
Where was Lena Horne born?
Brooklyn, New York.
Did Lena Horne own notable parcels?
Yes, a historically significant Upper East Side Manhattan hutch.
How does Lena Horne still earn plutocrat moment?
Through royalties from her music roster, film residuals, licensing, and ongoing sync openings.
Conclusion
Lena Horne’s heritage is a important mix of cultural excellence and valorous activism. Her emotional career broke walls and continues to induce artistic and fiscal value through ongoing royalties, estate operation, and brand licensing. moment, she remains an iconic figure whose benefactions to music, film, and civil rights endure, inspiring new generations and recognizing her continuing impact on American history and entertainment.
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