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The FBI closely monitored legendary entertainer Lena Home for almost three decades because of her support for the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders - and viewed her as a Communist sympathizer during the height of the McCarthy era, according to documents recently obtained by the New York City News Service.
"She is sympathetic to the Communist cause and is extremely race conscious," one of the memos in the singer/actress' FBI file from 1948 says.
Horne, who vigorously denied any Communist leanings, defended herself in a handwritten letter that is part of the 136-page file compiled on the renowned actress and singer.
The New York City News Service obtained Home's FBI file under the Freedom of Information Act, which allows certain documents to be released after the subject's death. Home, perhaps best known for her signature tune, "Stormy Weather," passed away in May at age 92.
The FBI began keeping a file on Lena Home in 1947 as she rose to fame, becoming one of the first African-American entertainers to hit the heights of Hollywood stardom.
Using her celebrity...