Lena Horne died at the hospital. She was 92.
The Brooklyn native started as a dancer at age 16, immediately attracting the eye of talent promoters. It wouldn't take long for Hollywood to catch up.
In the infancy of television, Horne was a black woman that had never been seen in Hollywood before: She had a clause put into her contract that forbid her to act in movies as a maid. No, Horne wanted roles that weren't symbolically subservient or demeaning to African-Americans. She got them.
Why? Because she was tenacious in her demands and -- let's be honest -- drop-dead gorgeous.
During WWII, Horne's star really took off. She landed her first film role in 1942, which led to her ground-breaking performance in "Stormy Weather."
Since those days almost half a century ago, the black actress has stood on Horne's shoulders as more roles and entertainment avenues have opened up.
During the civil rights era, Horne was a leading force in entertainment, championing the leading black actresses of the day.
It's become a cliche' now, but in this case, Lena Horne was truly the Greatest. Of. All. Time.
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