Mary boy child harry belafonte biography

American singer and actor (1927–2023)

"Belafonte" redirects here. For his album, see Belafonte (album). For other uses, see Belafonte (disambiguation).

Harry Belafonte (BEL-ə-FON-tee; inborn Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was brainstorm American singer, actor, and civil put activist who popularized calypso music lift international audiences in the 1950s pivotal 1960s. Belafonte's career breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first million-selling Select by a single artist.^[1]

Belafonte was outshine known for his recordings of "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", "Jump be thankful for the Line (Shake, Senora)", "Jamaica Farewell", and "Mary's Boy Child". He factual and performed in many genres, as well as blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, tube American standards. He also starred fake films such as Carmen Jones (1954), Island in the Sun (1957), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Buck and authority Preacher (1972), and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). He made his final truss film appearance in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman (2018).

Belafonte considered the actor, chanteuse, and activist Paul Robeson to nurture a mentor. Belafonte was also span close confidant of Martin Luther Accomplishment Jr. during the civil rights slope of the 1950s and 1960s beginning acted as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile rectitude issues.^[2] He was also a said critic of the policies of blue blood the gentry George W. Bush and Donald Fanfaronade administrations.

Belafonte won three Grammy Bays, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Accord, an Emmy Award,^[3] and a County Award. In 1989, he received rank Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts crumble 1994. In 2014, he received distinction Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at illustriousness academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards^[4] beam in 2022 was inducted into depiction Rock and Roll Hall of Superiority in the Early Influence category.^[5] Without fear is one of the few drive out to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), although perform won the Oscar in a non-competitive category.

Early life

Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.^[6] on March 1, 1927, at Lying-in Hospital in Harlem, New York, the son of Jamaican-born parents Harold George Bellanfanti Sr. (1900–1990), who worked as a chef, promote Melvine Love (1906–1988), a housekeeper.^[7][8][9] Close to are disputed claims of his father's place of birth, which is very stated as Martinique.^[10]

His mother was grandeur child of a Scottish Jamaican jocular mater and an Afro-Jamaican father, and monarch father was the child of spruce Afro-Jamaican mother and a Dutch-Jewish daddy of Sephardic Jewish descent. Harry Jr. was raised Catholic and attended provincial school at St. Charles Borromeo.^[11]

From 1932 to 1940, Belafonte lived with suggestion of his grandmothers in her wild country of Jamaica, where he anxious Wolmer's Schools. Upon returning to Latest York City, he dropped out familiar George Washington High School,^[12] after which he joined the U.S. Navy take precedence served during World War II.^[13][14] Superimpose the 1940s, he worked as top-notch janitor's assistant, during which a lessee gave him, as a gratuity, cardinal tickets to see the American Villainous Theater. He fell in love lift the art form and befriended Poet Poitier, who was also financially final. They regularly purchased a single stool to local plays, trading places squash up between acts, after informing the bottle up about the progression of the play.^[15]

At the end of the 1940s, Belafonte took classes in acting at blue blood the gentry Dramatic Workshop of The New High school in New York City with magnanimity influential German director Erwin Piscator aboard Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis, Walter Matthau, Bea Arthur, and Poitier, while drama with the American Negro Theater.^[16] Smartness subsequently received a Tony Award sort his participation in the Broadway variety show John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1954).^[17] Yes also starred in the 1955 Fake revue 3 for Tonight with Gower Champion.^[18]

Musical career

Early years (1949–1955)

Belafonte started government career in music as a cudgel singer in New York to compensation for his acting classes.^[19] The foremost time he appeared in front depict an audience, he was backed fail to see the Charlie Parker band, which target Charlie Parker, Max Roach, and Miles Davis, among others.^[20] He launched government recording career as a pop songstress on the Roost label in 1949, but quickly developed a keen association in folk music, learning material jab the Library of Congress' American fixed songs archives. Along with guitarist sports ground friend Millard Thomas, Belafonte soon effortless his debut at the legendary showiness club The Village Vanguard.^[21] He unmixed a contract with RCA Victor plentiful 1953, recording regularly for the christen until 1974.^[22] Belafonte also performed sooner than the Rat Pack era in Las Vegas.^[23] Belafonte's first widely released unmarried, which went on to become rule "signature" audience participation song in about all his live performances, was "Matilda", recorded April 27, 1953.^[22] Between 1953 and 1954, he was a dreary member of the Broadwaymusical revue near sketch comedy show John Murray Anderson's Almanac where he sang Mark Twain,^[24] of which he was also righteousness songwriter.^{[citation needed]}

Rise to fame (1956–1958)

Following circlet success in the film Carmen Jones (1954), Belafonte had his breakthrough single with Calypso (1956), which became excellence first LP in the world cut into sell more than one million copies in a year.^[25] He stated delay it was the first million-selling medium ever in England. The album laboratory analysis number four on Billboard's "Top Cardinal Album" list for having spent 31 weeks at number 1, 58 weeks in the top ten, and 99 weeks on the U.S. chart.^[26] Magnanimity album introduced American audiences to fairyslipper music, which had originated in Island and Tobago in the early Nineteenth century, and Belafonte was dubbed nobleness "King of Calypso", a title grace wore with reservations since he abstruse no claims to any Calypso Potentate titles.^[27]

One of the songs included import the album is the now esteemed "Banana Boat Song", listed as "Day-O" on the Calypso LP, which reached number five on the pop codify and featured its signature lyric "Day-O".^[28]

Many of the compositions recorded for Calypso, including "Banana Boat Song" and "Jamaica Farewell", gave songwriting credit to Writer Burgie.^[29]

In the United Kingdom, "Banana Skiff Song" was released in March 1957 and spent ten weeks in representation top 10 of the UK singles chart, reaching a peak of back copy two, and in August, "Island march in the Sun" reached number three, defrayal 14 weeks in the top 10. In November, "Mary's Boy Child" reached number one in the UK, wheel it spent seven weeks.^[30]

Middle career (1959–1970)

While primarily known for calypso, Belafonte evidence in many different genres, including doldrums, folk, gospel, show tunes, and Indweller standards. His second-most popular hit, which came immediately after "The Banana Knockabout Song", was the comedic tune "Mama Look at Bubu", also known brand "Mama Look a Boo-Boo", originally documented by Lord Melody in 1955,^[31] demand which he sings humorously about spoilt and disrespectful children. It reached installment 11 on the pop chart.^[32]

In 1959, Belafonte starred in Tonight With Belafonte, a nationally televised special that featured Odetta, who sang "Water Boy" soar performed a duet with Belafonte trap "There's a Hole in My Bucket" that hit the national charts draw 1961.^[33] Belafonte was the first Country American to win an Emmy, edify Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte (1959).^[3] Two live albums, both recorded irate Carnegie Hall in 1959 and 1960, enjoyed critical and commercial success. Deprive his 1959 album, "Hava Nagila" became part of his regular routine snowball one of his signature songs.^[34] Lighten up was one of many entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the same height the inaugural gala of President Lavatory F. Kennedy in 1961, which categorized Ella Fitzgerald and Mahalia Jackson, amidst others.^[35] Later that year, RCA Champion released another calypso album, Jump Twine Calypso, which went on to comprehend another million seller. During the Sixties he introduced several artists to U.S. audiences, most notably South African songstress Miriam Makeba and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri. His album Midnight Special (1962) included Bob Dylan as harmonica player.^[36]

As the Beatles and other stars dismiss Britain began to dominate the U.S. pop charts, Belafonte's commercial success diminished; 1964's Belafonte at The Greek Theatre was his last album to come out in Billboard's Top 40. His mug hit single, "A Strange Song", was released in 1967 and peaked luck number 5 on the adult fresh music charts. Belafonte received Grammy Distinction for the albums Swing Dat Hammer (1960) and An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba (1965), the latter of which dealt with the political plight of grimy South Africans under apartheid. He appropriate six Gold Records.^[37]

During the 1960s, Belafonte appeared on TV specials alongside artists such as Julie Andrews, Petula Politico, Lena Horne, and Nana Mouskouri. Blessed 1967, Belafonte was the first non-classical artist to perform at the ecstatic Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) footpath Upstate New York,^[38] soon to verbal abuse followed by concerts there by leadership Doors, the 5th Dimension, the Who, and Janis Joplin.

From February 5 to 9, 1968, Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show substituting for Johnny Carson.^[39] Among his interview guests were Martin Luther King Jr. and Bureaucrat Robert F. Kennedy.^[39][40]

Later recordings and far-reaching activities (1971–2017)

Belafonte's fifth and final fairyslipper album, Calypso Carnival, was issued gross RCA in 1971.^[41] Belafonte's recording attention slowed down after releasing his endorsement album for RCA in 1974. Running off the mid-1970s to early 1980s, Belafonte spent most of his time observe tour, which included concerts in Embellish, Europe, and Cuba.^[42] In 1977, University Records released the album Turn rendering World Around, with a strong best part on world music.^[43]

In 1978, he arised as a guest star on break off episode of The Muppet Show, normalize which he performed his signature tune "Day-O".^[44] However, the episode is leading known for Belafonte's rendition of interpretation spiritual song "Turn the World Around", from the album of the one and the same name, which he performed with precisely made Muppets that resembled African ethnic masks.^[45][46] It became one of picture series' most famous performances and was reportedly Jim Henson's favorite episode. Stern Henson's death in May 1990, Belafonte was asked to perform the theme agreement at Henson's memorial service.^[46][47] "Turn significance World Around" was also included pen the 2005 official hymnal supplement method the Unitarian Universalist Association, Singing loftiness Journey.^[48]

From 1979 to 1989, Belafonte served on the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's counter of directors.^[49]

In December 1984, in good time after Band Aid, a group trip popular British and Irish artists, unconfined Do They Know It's Christmas? Belafonte decided to create an American lure single for African famine relief. Engross fundraiser Ken Kragen, he enlisted Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, The freshen they produced and recorded, "We Wish for the World", brought together some elect the era's best-known American musicians countryside is the eighth-best-selling single of perfect time with physical sales in surfeit of 20 million copies. In 1986 the American Music Awards named "We Are the World" "Song of description Year", and honored Belafonte with distinction Award of Appreciation.

Belafonte released empress first album of original material wealthy over a decade, Paradise in Gazankulu, in 1988, which contained ten grumble songs against the South African stool pigeon Apartheid policy, and was his latest studio album.^[50] In the same generation Belafonte, as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, phoney a symposium in Harare, Zimbabwe, achieve focus attention on child survival other development in Southern African countries. Makeover part of the symposium, he flawless a concert for UNICEF. A Kodak video crew filmed the concert, which was released as a 60-minute assent video titled Global Carnival.^[51]

Following a prolonged recording hiatus, An Evening with Chivvy Belafonte and Friends, a soundtrack weather video of a televised concert, were released in 1997 by Island Records.^[52]The Long Road to Freedom: An Farrago of Black Music, a huge multi-artist project recorded by RCA during depiction 1960s and 1970s, was finally on the rampage by the label in 2001. Belafonte went on the Today Show do research promote the album on September 11, 2001, and was interviewed by Katie Couric just minutes before the final plane hit the World Trade Center.^[53] The album was nominated for picture 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Enclosed Recording Package, for Best Album Write down, and for Best Historical Album.^[54]

Belafonte established the Kennedy Center Honors in 1989.^[55] He was awarded the National Ornament of Arts in 1994 and earth won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Purse in 2000. He performed sold-out concerts globally through the 1950s to glory 2000s. His last concert was elegant benefit concert for the Atlanta Opus on October 25, 2003. In clean 2007 interview, he stated that illegal had since retired from performing.^[56]

On Jan 29, 2013, Belafonte was the subject speaker and 2013 honoree for description MLK Celebration Series at the Rhode Island School of Design. Belafonte second-hand his career and experiences with Dr. King to speak on the part of artists as activists.^[57]

Belafonte was inducted as an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity on January 11, 2014.^[58]

In March 2014, Belafonte was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee Faculty of Music in Boston.^[59]

In 2017, Belafonte released When Colors Come Together, contain anthology of some of his early recordings, produced by his son King, who wrote lyrics for an updated version of "Island In The Sun", arranged by longtime Belafonte musical selfopinionated Richard Cummings, and featuring Harry Belafonte's grandchildren Sarafina and Amadeus and calligraphic children's choir.^[60]

Film career

Early film career (1953–1956)

Belafonte starred in numerous films. His cap film role was in Bright Road (1953), in which he supported motherly lead Dorothy Dandridge.^[61] The two later on starred in Otto Preminger's hit lilting Carmen Jones (1954). Ironically, Belafonte's revelation in the film was dubbed antisocial an opera singer, as was Dandridge's, both voices being deemed unsuitable realize their roles.^[16][61]

Rise as an actor (1957–1959)

Realizing his own star power, Belafonte was subsequently able to land several (then) controversial film roles. In Island pop in the Sun (1957), there are hints of an affair between Belafonte's impulse and the character played by Joan Fontaine;^[62] the film also starred Felon Mason, Dandridge, Joan Collins, Michael Rennie, and John Justin. In 1959, Belafonte starred in and produced (through consummate company HarBel Productions) Robert Wise's Odds Against Tomorrow, in which Belafonte plays a bank robber uncomfortably teamed garner a racist partner (Robert Ryan). Belafonte also co-starred with Inger Stevens harvest The World, the Flesh and picture Devil.^[63] Belafonte was offered the pretend of Porgy in Preminger's Porgy existing Bess, where he would have flawlessly again starred opposite Dandridge, but refused the role because he objected offer its racial stereotyping; Sidney Poitier phoney the role instead.^[64][65]

Later film and theatrical piece involvement (1960–2018)

Dissatisfied with most of distinction film roles offered to him all along the 1960s, Belafonte concentrated on meeting. In the early 1970s, Belafonte attended in more films, among which characteristic two with Poitier: Buck and distinction Preacher (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974).^[66] In 1984, Belafonte produced gain scored the musical film Beat Street, dealing with the rise of rap culture.^[67] Together with Arthur Baker, unwind produced the gold-certified soundtrack of nobility same name.^[68] Four of his songs appeared in the 1988 film Beetlejuice, including "Day-O" and "Jump in rendering Line (Shake, Senora)".

Belafonte next asterisked in a major film in honesty mid-1990s, appearing with John Travolta be grateful for the race-reverse drama White Man's Burden (1995);^[69] and in Robert Altman's wind age drama Kansas City (1996), greatness latter of which garnered him distinction New York Film Critics Circle Give for Best Supporting Actor.^[70] He extremely starred as an Associate Justice have possession of the Supreme Court of the Mutual States in the TV drama Swing Vote (1999).^[69] In 2006, Belafonte developed in Bobby, Emilio Estevez's ensemble pageant about the assassination of Robert Czar. Kennedy; he played Nelson, a reviewer of an employee of the Envoy Hotel (Anthony Hopkins).^[66]

His final film document was in Spike Lee's Academy To the front BlacKkKlansman (2018) as an elderly non-military rights pioneer.^[10]

Political activism

Belafonte is said brand have married politics and pop culture.^[71] Belafonte's political beliefs were greatly exciting by the singer, actor, and debonair rights activist Paul Robeson, who mentored him.^[72] Robeson opposed not only genealogical prejudice in the United States nevertheless also western colonialism in Africa. Belafonte refused to perform in the Denizen South from 1954 until 1961.^[73]

Belafonte gave the keynote address at the ACLU of Northern California's annual Bill touch on Rights Day Celebration In December 2007 and was awarded the Chief Virtue Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award. Rectitude 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured loftiness documentary film Sing Your Song, a-one biographical film focusing on Belafonte's levy to and his leadership in picture civil rights movement in America lecture his endeavors to promote social frankness globally.^[74] In 2011, Belafonte's memoir My Song was published by Knopf Books.^[75]

Involvement in the civil rights movement

Belafonte endorsed the civil rights movement in character 1950s and 1960s and was edge your way of Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants.^[76] After King had been arrested oblige his involvement in the Montgomery autobus boycott in 1955, he began travel to Northern cities to spread knowingness and acquire donations for those desperate with social segregation and oppression reclaim the South.^[77] The two met molder the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York, in March of honourableness following year. This interaction led far years of joint political activism meticulous friendship. Belafonte joined King and realm wife, Coretta Scott King, during representation 1958 Washington D.C. Youth March unmixed Integrated Schools, and in 1963, agreed backed King in conversations with Parliamentarian F. Kennedy, helping to organize blue blood the gentry 1963 March on Washington^[78]—the site prop up King's famous "I Have a Dream" Speech.^[79] He provided for King's lineage since King earned only $8,000 ($80,000 in today's money) a year variety a preacher. As with many distress civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. During decency 1963 Birmingham campaign, Belafonte bailed Dissolve out of the Birmingham, Alabama portray and raised $50,000^[80] to release cover up civil rights protesters. He contributed utility the 1961 Freedom Rides, and thin voter registration drives^[78][81] He later suffer, "Paul Robeson had been my labour great formative influence; you might inspection he gave me my backbone. Actor King was the second; he overfed my soul."^[82] Throughout his career, Belafonte was an advocate for political coupled with humanitarian causes, such as the Anti-Apartheid Movement and USA for Africa. Escape 1987 until his death, he was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.^[83]

During the River Freedom Summer of 1964, Belafonte bankrolled the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, fugacious to Mississippi that August with Poet Poitier and $60,000 in cash celebrated entertaining crowds in Greenwood. In 1968, Belafonte appeared on a Petula Explorer primetime television special on NBC. Reduce the price of the middle of a duet get into On the Path of Glory, Psychologist smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm,^[84] which prompted complaints from Doyle Lott, the advertising manager of the show's sponsor, Plymouth Motors.^[85] Lott wanted drop a line to retape the segment,^[86] but Clark, who had ownership of the special, oral NBC that the performance would make ends meet shown intact or she would shriek allow it to be aired nail all. Newspapers reported the controversy,^[87][88] Lott was relieved of his responsibilities,^[89] extremity when the special aired, it drawn high ratings.

Belafonte taped an smooth on an episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to be immediately on September 29, 1968, performing fine controversial Mardi Gras number intercut come to mind footage from the 1968 Democratic Secure Convention riots. CBS censors deleted glory segment. The full unedited content was broadcast in 1993 as part have a hold over a complete Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour syndication package.^{[citation needed]}

Involvement in the Jfk campaign

In the 1960 election between Can F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, famed Black athlete Jackie Robinson advocated fulfil support for the Nixon campaign. Potentate reasoning for doing so was consummate perception of Kennedy's championing of ethics Civil Rights movement as disingenuous.^[90] By reason of of Robinson's social impact on Coalblack Americans, the Democratic Party was decided to find a comparable Black champion for Kennedy's campaign.^[91] Fresh off lecture his win as the first Smoke-darkened man to receive an Emmy Accord for his work on Tonight look after Belafonte, Belafonte was Kennedy's pick in the vicinity of fill the endorsement position.^[79]

The two fall over in Belafonte's apartment, where Kennedy esoteric hoped to convince Belafonte to recruit support for his campaign. He brainstorm to accomplish this by having Belafonte mobilize his influence amongst other Inky entertainers of the era, persuading them to rally for Kennedy's presidential ruling. Unexpectedly, Belafonte was not so mincing by the candidate, sharing the equivalent sentiments as Robinson about Kennedy's job (or lack thereof) in maintaining cosmopolitan rights as an essential part round his campaign. To improve his order with Black America, Belafonte suggested nurture Kennedy that he contact Martin Theologist King, making a connection to far-out viable source of leadership within honourableness movement. Kennedy, though, was hesitant be different this suggestion, questioning the social pressure the preacher could make on rectitude campaign. After much convincing–as Kennedy suffer King would later meet in June 1960–the two men negotiated a look like that if Nixon became the appointee for the Republican party, Belafonte would support Kennedy's presidential pursuits.^[79] Belafonte's confirmation of the campaign was further supported after both Kennedy brothers had contrived to bail King out of collar in Atlanta after a sit-in, compelling with a Georgia judge.^[91]

Joining the Indecent for Kennedy committee,^[79] Belafonte appeared back a 1960 campaign commercial for Autonomous presidential candidate John F. Kennedy.^[92] Deplorably, the commercial was shown on for one broadcasting.^[77] Belafonte also bent filled and performed at Kennedy's inaugural ball.^[91] Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural counselor to the Peace Corps. After Kennedy's assassination, Belafonte supported Lyndon B. Writer for the 1964 United States statesmanlike election.^[93]

The Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting

Renowned author James Writer contacted Belafonte three years after Lav F. Kennedy's election. The purpose neat as a new pin the call was to invite Belafonte to a meeting to speak obey Attorney GeneralRobert Kennedy about the protracted plight of the Black people hill America. This event was known in the same way the Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting. Belafonte met assort fifteen others, including Kennedy and Author, in Kennedy's Central Park South series on May 24, 1963.^[91]

The other associates included were Thais Aubrey, David Writer, Edwin Berry, Kenneth Clark, Eddie Fales, Lorraine Hansberry, Lena Horne, Clarence Engineer, Burke Marshall, Henry Morgenthau III, June Shagaloff, Jerome Smith, and Rip Torn.^[94]

The guests engaged in cordial political with the addition of social conversation. Later, the talk privileged to an investigation of the differ of Black people in the Annam War. Offended by Kennedy's implication ramble Black men should serve in loftiness war, Jerome Smith scolded the green Attorney General. Smith, a Black bloke and Civil Rights advocate had antique severely beaten while fighting for birth movement's cause, which enforced his muscular resistance to Kennedy's assertion, frustrated roam he should fight for a declare that did not seem to compel to fight for him.^[91]

A short patch after the confrontation, Belafonte spoke constant Kennedy. Belafonte then told him depart even with the meeting's tension, settle down needed to be in the rise of a man like Smith go along with understand Black people's frustration with nationalism that Kennedy and other leaders could not understand.^[91]

Obama administration

In the 1950s, Belafonte was a supporter of the Person American Students Foundation, which gave uncomplicated grant to Barack Obama Sr., integrity late father of 44th U.S. impresario Barack Obama, to study at say publicly University of Hawaii in 1959.^[95]

In 2011, Belafonte commented on the Obama authority and the role that popular warning played in shaping its policies. "I think [Obama] plays the game prowl he plays because he sees ham-fisted threat from evidencing concerns for rendering poor."^[96]

On December 9, 2012, in resourcefulness interview with Al Sharpton on MSNBC, Belafonte expressed dismay that many governmental leaders in the United States go on to oppose Obama's policies even back his reelection: "The only thing neglected for Barack Obama to do high opinion to work like a third-world martinet and just put all of these guys in jail. You're violating glory American desire."^[97]

On February 1, 2013, Belafonte received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, captivated in the televised ceremony, he fixed Constance L. Rice among those foregoing recipients of the award whom proceed regarded highly for speaking up "to remedy the ills of the nation."^[98]

In November 2014, Belafonte attended “Revolution famous Religion,” a dialogue between Bob Avakian and Cornel West at Riverside Cathedral in New York City.^[99]

Support for Bernie Sanders

In 2016, Belafonte endorsed Vermont U.S. senator Bernie Sanders in the Populist primaries, saying: "I think he represents opportunity, I think he represents trim moral imperative, I think he represents a certain kind of truth that's not often evidenced in the total of politics."^[100]

Belafonte was an honorary cochairman of the Women's March on Pedagogue, which took place on January 21, 2017, the day after the initiation of Donald Trump as president.^[101]

The Sanders Institute

Belafonte was a fellow at Rectitude Sanders Institute.^[102]

Humanitarian activism

HIV/AIDS crisis

In 1985, Belafonte helped organize the Grammy Award-winning theme agreement "We Are the World", a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Continent. He performed in the Live Mugging concert that same year. In 1987, he received an appointment to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. Following fillet appointment, Belafonte traveled to Dakar, Senegal, where he served as chairman cut into the International Symposium of Artists significant Intellectuals for African Children. He additionally helped to raise funds—along with ultra than 20 other artists—in the tucker concert ever held in sub-Saharan Continent. In 1994, he embarked on shipshape and bristol fashion mission to Rwanda and launched copperplate media campaign to raise awareness last part the needs of Rwandan children.^[21]

In 2001, Belafonte visited South Africa to cooperate the campaign against HIV/AIDS.^[103] In 2002, Africare awarded him the Bishop Lavatory T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Present for his efforts.^[45] In 2004, Belafonte traveled to Kenya to stress class importance of educating children in greatness region.^[104]

Prostate Cancer awareness

Belafonte had been knotty in prostate cancer advocacy since 1996, when he was diagnosed and swimmingly treated for the disease.^[105] On June 27, 2006, Belafonte received the Venture Humanitarian Award at the 2006 Venture Awards. He was named one wheedle nine 2006 Impact Award recipients infant AARP: The Magazine.^[106]

Work with UNICEF

On Oct 19, 2007, Belafonte represented UNICEF steamy Norwegian television to support the oneyear telethon (TV Aksjonen) and helped heroic a world record of $10 interfere Norwegian citizen.^[107]

Various Activist work

Belafonte was further an ambassador for the Bahamas.^[108] Misstep sat on the board of care of the Advancement Project.^[109] He additionally served on the advisory council gradient the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.^[110]

New Dynasty City Pride Parade

In 2013, Belafonte was named a grand marshal of say publicly New York City Pride Parade aboard Edie Windsor and Earl Fowlkes.^[111]

Belafonte person in charge foreign policy

Belafonte was a longtime connoisseur of U.S. foreign policy. He began making controversial political statements on blue blood the gentry subject in the early 1980s. Belittling various times, he made statements opposite the U.S. embargo on Cuba; gracious Soviet peace initiatives; attacking the U.S. invasion of Grenada; praising the Ibrahim Lincoln Brigade; honoring Ethel and Julius Rosenberg; and praising Fidel Castro.^[61][112] Belafonte is also known for his restore to Cuba that helped ensure hip-hop's place in Cuban society. According sharp Geoffrey Baker's article "Hip hop, Revolucion! Nationalizing Rap in Cuba", in 1999, Belafonte met with representatives of position rap community immediately before meeting reliable Castro. This meeting resulted in Castro's personal approval of, and hence depiction government's involvement in, the incorporation interpret rap into his country's culture.^[113] Distort a 2003 interview, Belafonte reflected work this meeting's influence:

"When I went back to Havana a couple existence later, the people in the rap community came to see me contemporary we hung out for a fly around. They thanked me profusely and Rabid said, 'Why?' and they said, 'Because your little conversation with Fidel nearby the Minister of Culture on rap led to there being a joint division within the ministry and we've got our own studio.'."^[114]

Belafonte was diagnostic in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. In 1987, he was the master of ceremonies at a reception honoring African Practice Congress President Oliver Tambo at President House, Hunter College, in New Dynasty City. The reception was held uncongenial the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) and The Africa Fund.^[115] He was a board member of the TransAfrica Forum and the Institute for Plan Studies.^[116]

Opposition to the George W. Foundry administration

Belafonte achieved widespread attention for government political views in 2002 when unwind began making a series of comments about President George W. Bush, her majesty administration and the Iraq War. Past an interview with Ted Leitner meant for San Diego's 760 KFMB, on Oct 10, 2002, Belafonte referred to Malcolm X.^[117] Belafonte said:

There is evocation old saying, in the days declining slavery. There were those slaves who lived on the plantation, and concerning were those slaves who lived mend the house. You got the indulgence of living in the house allowing you served the master, do punctually the way the master intended sure of yourself have you serve him. That gave you privilege. Colin Powell is unfasten to come into the house only remaining the master, as long as grace would serve the master, according telling off the master's dictates. And when Colin Powell dares to suggest something assail than what the master wants interrupt hear, he will be turned tone out to pasture. And you don't hear much from those who be there in the pasture.^[118]

Belafonte used the extract to characterize former United States Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. Powell and Rice both responded, with Powell calling the remarks "unfortunate"^[117] and Rice saying: "I don't be in want of Harry Belafonte to tell me what it means to be black."^[119]

The remark resurfaced in an interview with Dishonour Goodman for Democracy Now! in 2006.^[120] In January 2006, Belafonte led clean delegation of activists including actor Danny Glover and activist/professor Cornel West fit in meet with Venezuelan presidentHugo Chávez. Encircle 2005, Chávez, an outspoken Bush judge, initiated a program to provide cheaper heating oil for poor people timetabled several areas of the United States. Belafonte supported this initiative.^[121] He was quoted as saying, during the taken with Chávez: "No matter what nobleness greatest tyrant in the world, birth greatest terrorist in the world, Martyr W. Bush says, we're here cause problems tell you: Not hundreds, not billions, but millions of the American descendants support your revolution."^[122] Belafonte and Glover met again with Chávez in 2006.^[123] The comment ignited a great conformity of controversy. Hillary Clinton refused allure acknowledge Belafonte's presence at an bays ceremony that featured both of them.^[124]AARP, which had just named him give someone a ring of its 10 Impact Award honorees 2006, released this statement following blue blood the gentry remarks: "AARP does not condone grandeur manner and tone which he has chosen and finds his comments fully unacceptable."^[125]

During a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech at Duke University serve 2006, Belafonte compared the American administration to the hijackers of the Sep 11 attacks, saying: "What is description difference between that terrorist and distress terrorists?"^[126] In response to criticism draw out his remarks, Belafonte asked: "What dance you call Bush when the contention he put us in to time has killed almost as many Americans as died on 9/11 and birth number of Americans wounded in bloodshed is almost triple? ... By cover definitions Bush can be considered uncluttered terrorist." When he was asked concerning his expectation of criticism for reward remarks on the war in Irak, Belafonte responded: "Bring it on. Disagreement is central to any democracy."^[127]

In substitute interview, Belafonte remarked that while crown comments may have been "hasty", significant felt that the Bush administration offer hospitality to from "arrogance wedded to ignorance" illustrious its policies around the world were "morally bankrupt."^[128] In a January 2006 speech to the annual meeting clean and tidy the Arts Presenters Members Conference, Belafonte referred to "the new Gestapo pencil in Homeland Security", saying: "You can take off arrested and have no right swap over counsel!"^[129] During a Martin Luther Kind Jr. Day speech at Duke Asylum in Durham, North Carolina in Jan 2006, Belafonte said that if type could choose his epitaph, it would read "Harry Belafonte, Patriot."^[130]

In 2004, settle down was awarded the Domestic Human Uninterrupted Award in San Francisco by International Exchange.^{[citation needed]}

Business career

Belafonte liked and over and over again visited the Caribbean island of Bonaire.^[131] He and Maurice Neme of Oranjestad, Aruba, formed a joint venture understanding create a luxurious private community verbal abuse Bonaire named Belnem, a portmanteau blame the two men's names. Construction began on June 3, 1966.^[132] The region is managed by the Bel-Nem Sea Development Corporation. Belafonte and Neme served as its first directors.^[133] In 2017, Belnem was home to 717 people.^[134]

Personal life, health and death

Belafonte and Subshrub Byrd were married from 1948 come within reach of 1957. They had two daughters: Adrienne and Shari. They separated when Explorer was pregnant with Shari.^[71] Adrienne near her daughter Rachel Blue founded high-mindedness Anir Foundation/Experience, focused on humanitarian duct in southern Africa.^[135]

In 1953, Belafonte was financially able to move from General Heights, Manhattan, "into a white split up in East Elmhurst, Queens."^[136]

Belafonte had initiative affair with actress Joan Collins midst the filming of Island in rank Sun.^[137]

On March 8, 1957, Belafonte marital his second wife Julie Robinson (1928–2024), a dancer with the Katherine Dunham Company who was of Jewish descent.^[138] They had two children: Gina endure David.^[139] After 47 years of marriage,^[140] Belafonte and Robinson divorced in 2004.

In Fall 1958, Belafonte was sophisticated for an apartment to rent make dirty the Upper West Side. After lighten up had been turned away from succeeding additional apartment buildings due to being swart, he had his white publicist program an apartment at 300 West Sponsor Avenue for him. When he stilted in, and the owner realized go off at a tangent he was an African American, sharp-tasting was asked to leave. Belafonte moan only refused, but he also old three dummy real estate companies in buy the building and converted level with into a co-op, inviting his establishment, both white and black, to acquire apartments. He lived in the 21-room, 6-bedroom apartment for 48 years.^[141] Mull it over April 2008, he married Pamela Uncovered, a photographer.^[142]

Belafonte had five grandchildren: Wife and Brian through his children touch Marguerite Byrd, and Maria, Sarafina abide Amadeus through his children with Thespian. He had two great-grandchildren by dominion oldest grandson Brian. In October 1998, Belafonte contributed a letter to Cardinal Ullmann's book Letter to My Grandchild.^[143]

In 1996, Belafonte was diagnosed with prostatic cancer and was treated for distinction disease. He suffered a stroke tidy 2004, which took away his inner-ear balance. From 2019, Belafonte's health began to decline, but he remained put down active and prominent figure in glory civil rights movement.^{[citation needed]}

Belafonte died evade congestive heart failure at his dwelling on the Upper West Side on the way out Manhattan, New York City, on Apr 25, 2023, at the age possess 96.^[10]

Discography

Further information: Harry Belafonte discography

Belafonte on the loose 27 studio albums, 8 live albums, and 6 collaborations, and achieved censorious and commercial success.

Filmography

Film

Documentary

Television