 but she was born on this day in 1917. She died May 9th in 2010, was an American singer, actress, dancer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than 70 years and covered film, television, and theater. Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of 16 and became a nightclub performer before moving on to Hollywood and Broadway. A groundbreaking African-American performer,