In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I'm black and a woman, singing my own way. Lena Horne More Quotes by Lena Horne More Quotes From Lena Horne It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's positive and that it is not worse, rather than the uncomfortable edges of bitterness for the negatives and that it is not better. Lena Horne bitternessgratitudeway 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 womenhypocriteattitude 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 feelingsinspiringlove 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 uniqueacceptancewhite I'm me, and I'm like nobody else. 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 blackwhitebelieve The best thing about living... Is the chance to keep on doing it! Lena Horne best-thingschance You wouldn't be allowed to get on a particular bus, but you'd be asked to sign your autograph. Lena Horne busautographsparticular My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman. Lena Horne black-womenblackidentity You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. Lena Horne african-americanclassway You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. But the slanting process is so subtle that you frequently don't realize how you're being slanted until very late in the game. Lena Horne gamesclassway 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 afterlifehollywoodwhite Always be smarter than the people who hire you. Lena Horne workinspiringpeople I found out along the way that they like you a little imperfect. Lena Horne imperfectlittlesway A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it. Lena Horne usehurtlittles 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 influencestrongheart music became my refuge and then my salvation. Lena Horne music-issalvationmusic 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 symbolscreditfirsts I'm still learning, you know. At 80, I feel there is a lot I don't know. Lena Horne stillsknowsfeels 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 blackbrotherwater
