I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.

Due to the Red Scare and her left-leaning political views Horne found herself blacklisted and unable to get work in Hollywood. Returning to her roots as a nightclub performer Horne took part in the March on Washington in August 1963 and continued to work as a performer both in nightclubs and on television while releasing well-received record albums.