History was made this week when the late actor and civil-rights activist Lena Horne became the first Black woman to have a Broadway theater named after her.
The unveiling of the Lena Horne Theatre, located on West 47th Street, took place on Tuesday and was attended by several prominent figures, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who later took to Twitter to post a video of the event.
"Lena personified elegance and grace while also fighting racism and injustice. Her legacy and NYC story live on," Adams wrote.
The theater was built in 1926 and was originally named the Mansfield Theatre, according to CNN, which noted that the venue was later renamed the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in honor of the late New York Times drama critic. The theater seats 1,069 and is currently staging the musical "Six."
Horne was 16 when she got her start as a member of the chorus for a Harlem nightclub called the Cotton Club, ABC reported. She later moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in film and booked her first major movie role in 1943's "Cabin in the Sky." That same year she also appeared in "Stormy Weather," singing the title song.
Horne appeared in various movies, television and Broadway shows despite being one of the few stars of color at the time. In addition to acting and singing, Horne lent her voice to civil-rights activism for nearly half a century.
Horne's gathered numerous accolades including four Grammys, an NAACP Image Award in 1999, and a Tony for Best Actress in 1957 for originating the role of Savannah in the musical "Jamaica," ABC noted. She died at age 92 in 2010.
Speaking with WABC, actor Norm Lewis described Horne as a "major civil-rights activist" and "someone who just refused to accept what people were giving at that time in history and just decided to be a voice for the African American community."
"She opened so many doors for us that we as people of color can thank her for being a beacon of light," added Vanessa Williams.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.