Solange Knowles to Receive First Ever Lena Horne Award and Will Donate $100K Prize to Charity

Solange Knowles receives the first-ever Lena Horne Award, and soon after reveals that she is donating the $100,000 prize to charity.

33-year-old "Can I Hold the Mic" singer Solange Knowles was named as the first-ever recipient of the Lena Horne Prize for Artists Creating Social Impact, which acknowledges her string of efforts towards civil rights activism.

Lena Horne was a singer, actress, and dancer who stood up against color segregation in the 1940s, even joining multiple marches against discrimination.

RECEIVING THE MONUMENTAL AWARD

Aside from being a Grammy and Tony Award winner, Solange may now add the Lena Horne Prize to her list of achievements, which highlights the impact she's made in the field of activism.

The award in itself is monumental because it's deemed as the "first major entertainment award to be named after a woman of color, honoring excellence at the intersection of arts and activism."

LENA HORNE'S HONORABLE LIFE

Lena Horne was a singer, actress, and dancer who stood up against color segregation in the 1940s, even joining multiple marches against discrimination. She received Grammy Awards, Tony Awards, and an NAACP Image Award for her craft, but was also a Kennedy Center honoree.

Now that Solange Knowles uses her platform to advocate for representation and justice, she was given the first award.

SOLANGE'S CRAZY YEAR

She will be given the award on February 28, 2020, at The Town Hall, and will receive $100,000, which will be donated to Project Row Houses in her hometown of Houston, Texas.

It's been a crazy year for Solange Knowles, as aside from releasing new music, she revealed that she will be going on a five-day Australian tour. All of this happened amidst her split from her husband of five years, Alan Ferguson. Of the separation, she said:

“11 years ago, i met a phenomenal man who changed every existence of my life. Early this year, we separated and parted ways.”

PROTECTING HER TRUTH

Although she's normally a very private person, Solange felt the need to let everyone know of their split, as she wanted to "protect the sacredness of her personal truth."

Now that the truth has been set free, Solange is focusing on building herself physically, mentally, and emotionally. She's dedicated herself to her craft, and that's something that people are now appreciating and acknowledging through the accolades and affirmations she has been receiving.