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By Danielle West
Her appearance was striking, her presence, warm and appealing. It was fascinating how her slender body, silky black hair, and chiseled bone structure resembled the features of Ms. Horne. As the conversation began, Ms. Wendi Joy Franklin, a Motown kid from Toledo, Ohio shared the untold story of the life and legacy of Ms. Lena Calhoun Horne through her image.
History is defined by Ms. Franklin as “A record of where we’ve been and where we are going, it is who we are.” In her one-woman show “A Song For You…. The Civil Rights Journey of a Negro Woman: Lena Calhoun Horne”, Franklin illustrates the history of Ms. Horne through a portrayal of her life. Through twelve years of research and seven years of performance Franklin has embodied the spirit of Horne.
In 1995, Franklin was able to imitate the character she studied to Horne’s manager Sherman Sneed. Although she was unknown at the time Sneed found Franklin interesting, and rated her performance as one of the best.
“I felt this was something God wanted me to do,” she said. The glitz and glamour of life which most know of Horne is not the era Franklin chose to express but her struggle with racial and social injustice that she dealt with throughout most of her life.
Through her role as Ms. Horne, Franklin hopes her audiences will be able to capture the message that she reveals.
“I want to identify Ms. Horne as a human being outside of the Hollywood lights, then as an individual who traveled a road that wasn’t easy, and lastly as a person who was courageous enough during her time to make a difference,” Franklin said as she beamed with joy. “Her performance is definitely history in the making.”
Helena Mary Calhoun Horne
Born Helena Mary Calhoun Horne in June 30, 1917, Lena grew up in an upper middle class black community in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Her father, Edwin “Teddy” Horne worked in the gambling trade but left the family when Lena was three and her mother, Edna Scottron was an actress with an African American theater troupe that traveled constantly. Lena was raised by her grandparents.
As a singer and actor of both African American, Caucasian and Cherokee descent, Lena crossed many racial barriers. She became the first African American performer to sign a long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the movie—The Duke is Tops. Later Lena starred in movies like Panama Hattie, Cabin in the Sky, Ziegfield Follies, Duchess of Idaho among many more. Not only could Lena act but she has remained famous for her angelic voice. One of her most famous songs is “Stormy Weather.”
Through many television appearances and movies, Lena proved to be a woman of talent and strong will. She remembers many times when she was discriminated against as a black actress and how she had to work harder. But through it all she remains as a historic figure in African American History. She currently lives in New York City and no longer makes public appearances.
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