Lena Horne Quotes & Sayings

I disconnected myself to shield myself from people who would sway to my songs in the club and call me 'nigger' in the street. They were too busy seeing their own preconceived image of a Negro woman. the image that I chose to give them was of a woman who they could not reach and therefore can't hurt. — Lena Horne

I don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else. — Lena Horne

In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I'm black and a woman, singing my own way. — Lena Horne

Every color I can think of and nationality, we were all touched by Dr. King because he made us like each other and respect each other. — Lena Horne

Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life. — Lena Horne

Always be smarter than those who hire you — Lena Horne

I'm me, and I'm like nobody else. — Lena Horne

I made a promise to myself to be kinder to other people. — Lena Horne

I found out along the way that they like you a little imperfect. — Lena Horne

I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club. — Lena Horne

The naked female body is treated so weirdly in society. It's like people are constantly begging to see it, but once they do, someone's a hoe. — Lena Horne

I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald. — Lena Horne

It's ill-becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occasionally we do. — Lena Horne

I was lucky, as many of my generation was, in having a man like Dr. King in our lives. He came at a time that we needed to take a long look at each other and see how similar we were. — Lena Horne

My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman. — Lena Horne

I'm still learning, you know. At 80, I feel there is a lot I don't know. — Lena Horne

Always be smarter than the people who hire you. — Lena Horne

Music became my refuge and then my salvation. — Lena Horne

It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. — Lena Horne

As much as I try, when I open my mouth, Lena comes out, And I get so mad. — Lena Horne

You wouldn't be allowed to get on a particular bus, but you'd be asked to sign your autograph. — Lena Horne

Malcolm X made me very strong at a time I needed to understand what I was angry about. He had peace in his heart. He exerted a big influence on me. — Lena Horne

I remember the day tDr. King died. I wasn't angry at the beginning. It was like something very personal in my life had been touched and finished. — Lena Horne

I learned from Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, the Nicholas Brothers, the whole thing, the whole schmear. [The Cotton Club] was a great place because it hired us, for one thing, at a time when it was really rough [for Black performers]. — Lena Horne

Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted. — Lena Horne

After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must be feeling. It wasn't a nice time. — Lena Horne

I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody. — Lena Horne

I told them I belong to the same organizations and clubs Mrs. Roosevelt belongs to, but with a few brave exceptions, I was still unable to do films or television for the next seven years. — Lena Horne

The best thing about living ... Is the chance to keep on doing it! — Lena Horne

A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it. — Lena Horne

I really do hate to sing. — Lena Horne

It's so nice to get flowers while you can still smell the fragrance. — Lena Horne

I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept. I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked. — Lena Horne

You have to be taught to be secondclass;your not born that way — Lena Horne

Malcolm X raised my consciousness about myself and my people and other people more than any person I know. I knew him before he became Malcolm X. — Lena Horne

Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death. — Lena Horne