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

I really do hate to sing.
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

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

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

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

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