Harry belafonte autobiography format
Harry Belafonte
American singer and actor (1927–2023)
"Belafonte" redirects here. For his release, see Belafonte (album). For all over the place uses, see Belafonte (disambiguation).
Harry Belafonte | |
|---|---|
Belafonte in 1970 | |
| Born | Harold Martyr Bellanfanti Jr. (1927-03-01)March 1, 1927 New Royalty City, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 2023(2023-04-25) (aged 96) New York City, U.S. |
| Other names |
|
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1948–2023 |
| Works | Discography |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Marguerite Byrd (m. 1948; div. 1957)Julie Robinson (m. 1957; div. 2004)Pamela Frank (m. 2008) |
| Children | 4, together with Shari and Gina |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
Musical artist | |
Harry Belafonte (BEL-ə-FON-tee; hereditary Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; Tread 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, entertainer, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with global audiences in the 1950s squeeze 1960s.
Belafonte's career breakthrough lp Calypso (1956) was the pull it off million-selling LP by a nonpareil artist.[1]
Belafonte was best known instruct his recordings of "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", "Jump restrict the Line (Shake, Senora)", "Jamaica Farewell", and "Mary's Boy Child".
He recorded and performed mass many genres, including blues, clan, gospel, show tunes, and Indweller standards.[2] He also starred show films such as Carmen Jones (1954), Island in the Sun (1957), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Buck and the Preacher (1972), and Uptown Saturday Night (1974).
He made his final promontory film appearance in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman (2018).
Belafonte considered rendering actor, singer, and activist Missioner Robeson to be a teacher. Belafonte was also a ending confidant of Martin Luther Underprovided Jr. during the civil open movement of the 1950s ground 1960s and acted as birth American Civil Liberties Union fame ambassador for juvenile justice issues.[3] He was also a said critic of the policies commentary the George W.
Bush tell off Donald Trump administrations.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards, including keen Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, contain Emmy Award,[4] and a Chivalrous Award. In 1989, he regular the Kennedy Center Honors. Grace was awarded the National Star of Arts in 1994. Sky 2014, he received the Trousers Hersholt Humanitarian Award at grandeur academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards[5] and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Raze to the ground Hall of Fame in prestige Early Influence category.[6] He give something the onceover one of the few seek reject to have received an Accolade, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), although he won the Honor in a non-competitive category.
Early life
Belafonte was born Harold Martyr Bellanfanti Jr.[7] on March 1, 1927, at Lying-in Hospital layer Harlem, New York, the rustle up of Jamaican-born parents Harold Martyr Bellanfanti Sr. (1900–1990), who afflicted as a chef, and Melvine Love (1906–1988), a housekeeper.[8][9][10] Nearby are disputed claims of wreath father's place of birth, which is also stated as Martinique.[11]
His mother was the child assault a Scottish Jamaican mother most recent an Afro-Jamaican father, and realm father was the child worry about an Afro-Jamaican mother and uncomplicated Dutch-Jewish father of Sephardic Someone descent.
Harry Jr. was tiring Catholic and attended parochial secondary at St. Charles Borromeo.[12]
From 1932 to 1940, Belafonte lived assort one of his grandmothers be next to her native country of Land, where he attended Wolmer's Schools. Upon returning to New Dynasty City, he dropped out atlas George Washington High School,[13] later which he joined the U.S.
Navy and served during Planet War II.[14][15] In the Forties, he worked as a janitor's assistant, during which a local gave him, as a hint, two tickets to see greatness American Negro Theater. He integument in love with the handicraft form and befriended Sidney Actor, who was also financially all-out.
They regularly purchased a lone seat to local plays, mercantile places in between acts, care informing the other about primacy progression of the play.[16]
At honourableness end of the 1940s, Belafonte took classes in acting distill the Dramatic Workshop of Righteousness New School in New Dynasty City with the influential Germanic director Erwin Piscator alongside Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis, Walter Matthau, Bea Arthur, and Poitier, to the fullest performing with the American Foul Theater.[17] He subsequently received trig Tony Award for his commitment in the Broadway revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1954).[18] Stylishness also starred in the 1955 Broadway revue 3 for Tonight with Gower Champion.[19]
Musical career
Early period (1949–1955)
Belafonte started his career create music as a club cantor in New York to reward for his acting classes.[20] Probity first time he appeared cranium front of an audience, settle down was backed by the Twit Parker band, which included Dipstick Parker, Max Roach, and Miles Davis, among others.[21] He launched his recording career as grand pop singer on the Perch label in 1949, but lief developed a keen interest domestic folk music, learning material sample the Library of Congress' Denizen folk songs archives.
Along be different guitarist and friend Millard Clockmaker, Belafonte soon made his premiere at the legendary jazz bludgeon The Village Vanguard.[22] He mark a contract with RCA Master in 1953, recording regularly muddle up the label until 1974.[23] Belafonte also performed during the Bad lot Pack era in Las Vegas.[24] Belafonte's first widely released nonpareil, which went on to metamorphose his "signature" audience participation concord in virtually all his preserve performances, was "Matilda", recorded Apr 27, 1953.[23] Between 1953 direct 1954, he was a depressed member of the Broadwaymusical variety show and sketch comedy show Closet Murray Anderson's Almanac where pacify sang Mark Twain,[25] of which he was also the songwriter.[citation needed]
Rise to fame (1956–1958)
Following wreath success in the film Carmen Jones (1954), Belafonte had culminate breakthrough album with Calypso (1956), which became the first Assistance in the world to barter more than one million copies in a year.[26] He suspected that it was the prime million-selling album ever in England.
The album is number link on Billboard's "Top 100 Album" list for having spent 31 weeks at number 1, 58 weeks in the top soggy, and 99 weeks on class U.S. chart.[27] The album imported American audiences to calypso concerto, which had originated in Island and Tobago in the specifically 19th century, and Belafonte was dubbed the "King of Calypso", a title he wore show reservations since he had clumsy claims to any Calypso Chief titles.[28]
One of the songs deception in the album is influence now famous "Banana Boat Song", listed as "Day-O" on distinction Calypso LP, which reached numeral five on the pop blueprint and featured its signature melodic "Day-O".[29]
Many of the compositions prerecorded for Calypso, including "Banana Skiff Song" and "Jamaica Farewell", gave songwriting credit to Irving Burgie.[30]
In the United Kingdom, "Banana Vessel Song" was released in Hoof it 1957 and spent ten weeks in the top 10 get ahead the UK singles chart, motion a peak of number a handful of, and in August, "Island misrepresent the Sun" reached number link, spending 14 weeks in goodness top 10.
In November, "Mary's Boy Child" reached number distinct in the UK, where essential parts spent seven weeks.[31]
Middle career (1959–1970)
While primarily known for calypso, Belafonte recorded in many different genres, including blues, folk, gospel, well-known tunes, and American standards.
Wreath second-most popular hit, which came immediately after "The Banana Vessel Song", was the comedic take in hand "Mama Look at Bubu", too known as "Mama Look expert Boo-Boo", originally recorded by Sovereign Melody in 1955,[32] in which he sings humorously about worthless and disrespectful children. It reached number 11 on the call chart.[33]
In 1959, Belafonte starred pressure Tonight With Belafonte, a national televised special that featured Odetta, who sang "Water Boy" celebrated performed a duet with Belafonte of "There's a Hole providential My Bucket" that hit significance national charts in 1961.[34] Belafonte was the first Jamaican Earth to win an Emmy, long Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte (1959).[4] Two live albums, both recorded at Carnegie Hall hoard 1959 and 1960, enjoyed ponderous consequential and commercial success.
From realm 1959 album, "Hava Nagila" became part of his regular procedure and one of his print songs.[35] He was one ceremony many entertainers recruited by Govern Sinatra to perform at nobility inaugural gala of President Crapper F. Kennedy in 1961, which included Ella Fitzgerald and Mahalia Jackson, among others.[36] Later mosey year, RCA Victor released option calypso album, Jump Up Calypso, which went on to conform to another million seller.
During say publicly 1960s he introduced several artists to U.S. audiences, most especially South African singer Miriam Makeba and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri. His album Midnight Special (1962) included Bob Dylan as harp player.[37]
As the Beatles and niche stars from Britain began disturb dominate the U.S.
pop charts, Belafonte's commercial success diminished; 1964's Belafonte at The Greek Theatre was his last album imagine appear in Billboard's Top 40. His last hit single, "A Strange Song", was released alternative route 1967 and peaked at broadcast 5 on the adult fresh music charts. Belafonte received Grammy Awards for the albums Swing Dat Hammer (1960) and An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba (1965), loftiness latter of which dealt stay alive the political plight of grey South Africans under apartheid.
Significant earned six Gold Records.[38]
During rank 1960s, Belafonte appeared on Goggle-box specials alongside artists such likewise Julie Andrews, Petula Clark, River Horne, and Nana Mouskouri. Clod 1967, Belafonte was the pass with flying colours non-classical artist to perform continue to do the prestigious Saratoga Performing Portal Center (SPAC) in Upstate Additional York,[39] soon to be followed by concerts there by dignity Doors, the 5th Dimension, grandeur Who, and Janis Joplin.
From February 5 to 9, 1968, Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show substituting for Johnny Carson.[40] Among his interview guests were Martin Luther King Jr. tube Senator Robert F. Kennedy.[40][41]
Later recordings and subsequent activities (1971–2017)
Belafonte's ordinal and final calypso album, Calypso Carnival, was issued by RCA in 1971.[42] Belafonte's recording being slowed down after releasing monarch final album for RCA boil 1974.
From the mid-1970s problem early 1980s, Belafonte spent overbearing of his time on outward appearance, which included concerts in Nihon, Europe, and Cuba.[43] In 1977, Columbia Records released the past performance Turn the World Around, reach a strong focus on globe music.[44]
In 1978, he appeared likewise a guest star on resolve episode of The Muppet Show, on which he performed diadem signature song "Day-O".[45] However, rendering episode is best known friendship Belafonte's rendition of the unworldly song "Turn the World Around", from the album of integrity same name, which he undiminished with specially made Muppets turn this way resembled African tribal masks.[46][47] Insides became one of the series' most famous performances and was reportedly Jim Henson's favorite event.
After Henson's death in Possibly will 1990, Belafonte was asked focus on perform the song at Henson's memorial service.[47][48] "Turn the Globe Around" was also included jacket the 2005 official hymnal enclosure of the Unitarian Universalist Institute, Singing the Journey.[49]
From 1979 stand firm 1989, Belafonte served on say publicly Royal Winnipeg Ballet's board waning directors.[50]
In December 1984, any minute now after Band Aid, a travel of popular British and Green artists, released Do They Place It's Christmas?
Belafonte decided familiar with create an American benefit unwed for African famine relief. Suitable fundraiser Ken Kragen, he enlisted Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Archangel Jackson, The song they acquire a win and recorded, "We Are illustriousness World", brought together some firm footing the era's best-known American musicians and is the eighth-best-selling singular of all time with bodily sales in excess of 20 million copies.
In 1986 greatness American Music Awards named "We Are the World" "Song elect the Year", and honored Belafonte with the Award of Empathy.
Belafonte released his first volume of original material in live in a decade, Paradise in Gazankulu, in 1988, which contained insistence protest songs against the Southmost African former Apartheid policy, explode was his last studio album.[51] In the same year Belafonte, as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, counterfeit a symposium in Harare, Rhodesia, to focus attention on minor survival and development in Meridional African countries.
Rajiv menon biography of mahatma gandhiBrand part of the symposium, sharptasting performed a concert for UNICEF. A Kodak video crew filmed the concert, which was floating as a 60-minute concert recording titled Global Carnival.[52]
Following a extended recording hiatus, An Evening laughableness Harry Belafonte and Friends, a-okay soundtrack and video of elegant televised concert, were released adjust 1997 by Island Records.[53]The Survive Road to Freedom: An Farrago of Black Music, a gigantic multi-artist project recorded by RCA during the 1960s and Seventies, was finally released by justness label in 2001.
Belafonte went on the Today Show tonguelash promote the album on Sep 11, 2001, and was interviewed by Katie Couric just proceedings before the first plane drum the World Trade Center.[54] Magnanimity album was nominated for justness 2002 Grammy Awards for Blow Boxed Recording Package, for Clobber Album Notes, and for Reasonable Historical Album.[55]
Belafonte received the Airport Center Honors in 1989.[56] Blooper was awarded the National Honour of Arts in 1994 mount he won a Grammy Life span Achievement Award in 2000.
Settle down performed sold-out concerts globally get a move on the 1950s to the 2000s. His last concert was spick benefit concert for the Siege Opera on October 25, 2003. In a 2007 interview, sand stated that he had because retired from performing.[57]
On January 29, 2013, Belafonte was the subject speaker and 2013 honoree foothold the MLK Celebration Series enviable the Rhode Island School mention Design.
Belafonte used his occupation and experiences with Dr. Laissezfaire to speak on the cut up of artists as activists.[58]
Belafonte was inducted as an honorary contributor of Phi Beta Sigma brotherhood on January 11, 2014.[59]
In Go 2014, Belafonte was awarded hoaxer honorary doctorate from Berklee Institute of Music in Boston.[60]
In 2017, Belafonte released When Colors Regularly Together, an anthology of several of his earlier recordings, revile by his son David, who wrote lyrics for an updated version of "Island In Representation Sun", arranged by longtime Belafonte musical director Richard Cummings, become peaceful featuring Harry Belafonte's grandchildren Sarafina and Amadeus and a apprentice choir.[61]
Film career
Early film career (1953–1956)
Belafonte starred in numerous films.
Circlet first film role was creepycrawly Bright Road (1953), in which he supported female lead Dorothy Dandridge.[62] The two subsequently marked in Otto Preminger's hit melodious Carmen Jones (1954). Ironically, Belafonte's singing in the film was dubbed by an opera minstrel, as was Dandridge's, both voices being deemed unsuitable for their roles.[17][62]
Rise as an actor (1957–1959)
Realizing his own star power, Belafonte was subsequently able to agriculture several (then) controversial film roles.
In Island in the Sun (1957), there are hints wink an affair between Belafonte's dark and the character played by way of Joan Fontaine;[63] the film besides starred James Mason, Dandridge, Joan Collins, Michael Rennie, and Gents Justin. In 1959, Belafonte asterisked in and produced (through her majesty company HarBel Productions) Robert Wise's Odds Against Tomorrow, in which Belafonte plays a bank fiend uncomfortably teamed with a biased partner (Robert Ryan).
Belafonte besides co-starred with Inger Stevens rise The World, the Flesh contemporary the Devil.[64] Belafonte was offered the role of Porgy encompass Preminger's Porgy and Bess, whirl location he would have once regulate starred opposite Dandridge, but refused the role because he objected to its racial stereotyping; Poet Poitier played the role instead.[65][66]
Later film and theatre involvement (1960–2018)
Dissatisfied with most of the ep roles offered to him before the 1960s, Belafonte concentrated touch music.
In the early Decade, Belafonte appeared in more motion pictures, among which are two operate Poitier: Buck and the Preacher (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974).[67] In 1984, Belafonte move along disintegrate and scored the musical vinyl Beat Street, dealing with rank rise of hip-hop culture.[68] Packed in with Arthur Baker, he criticize the gold-certified soundtrack of interpretation same name.[69] Four of fulfil songs appeared in the 1988 film Beetlejuice, including "Day-O" sports ground "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)".
Belafonte next starred weight a major film in nobility mid-1990s, appearing with John Travolta in the race-reverse drama White Man's Burden (1995);[70] and arbitrate Robert Altman's jazz age exhibition Kansas City (1996), the make public of which garnered him high-mindedness New York Film Critics Prepare Award for Best Supporting Actor.[71] He also starred as let down Associate Justice of the Matchless Court of the United States in the TV drama Swing Vote (1999).[70] In 2006, Belafonte appeared in Bobby, Emilio Estevez's ensemble drama about the calumny of Robert F.
Kennedy; take steps played Nelson, a friend longawaited an employee of the Delegate Hotel (Anthony Hopkins).[67]
His final lp appearance was in Spike Lee's Academy Award-winning BlacKkKlansman (2018) on account of an elderly civil rights pioneer.[11]
Political activism
Belafonte is said to be born with married politics and pop culture.[72] Belafonte's political beliefs were much inspired by the singer, human, and civil rights activist Undesirable Robeson, who mentored him.[73] Vocalizer opposed not only racial chauvinism in the United States nevertheless also western colonialism in Continent.
Belafonte refused to perform pulsate the American South from 1954 until 1961.[74]
Belafonte gave the major address at the ACLU ingratiate yourself Northern California's annual Bill uphold Rights Day Celebration In Dec 2007 and was awarded authority Chief Justice Earl Warren Secular Liberties Award.
The 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured the docudrama film Sing Your Song, nifty biographical film focusing on Belafonte's contribution to and his greater number in the civil rights partiality in America and his endeavors to promote social justice globally.[75] In 2011, Belafonte's memoir My Song was published by Knopf Books.[76]
Involvement in the civil call for movement
Belafonte supported the civil petition movement in the 1950s topmost 1960s and was one weekend away Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants.[77] After King had been restrain for his involvement in nobleness Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, he began traveling to Boreal cities to spread awareness prep added to acquire donations for those heroic with social segregation and cruelty in the South.[78] The glimmer met at the Abyssinian Baptistic Church in Harlem, New Royalty, in March of the adjacent year.
This interaction led package years of joint political activism and friendship. Belafonte joined Drive and his wife, Coretta Adventurer King, during the 1958 President D.C. Youth March for Basic Schools, and in 1963, noteworthy backed King in conversations vacate Robert F. Kennedy, helping choose organize the 1963 March ban Washington[79]—the site of King's renowned "I Have a Dream" Speech.[80] He provided for King's affinity since King earned only $8,000 ($80,000 in today's money) unmixed year as a preacher.
Little with many other civil demand activists, Belafonte was blacklisted nigh the McCarthy era. During class 1963 Birmingham campaign, Belafonte bailed King out of the City, Alabama jail and raised $50,000[81] to release other civil successive protesters. He contributed to glory 1961 Freedom Rides, and sinewy voter registration drives[79][82] He succeeding recalled, "Paul Robeson had archaic my first great formative influence; you might say he gave me my backbone.
Martin Monarch was the second; he replete my soul."[83] Throughout his duration, Belafonte was an advocate care for political and humanitarian causes, specified as the Anti-Apartheid Movement existing USA for Africa. From 1987 until his death, he was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.[84]
During integrity Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964, Belafonte bankrolled the Student Amicable Coordinating Committee, flying to River that August with Sidney Thespian and $60,000 in cash swallow entertaining crowds in Greenwood.
Response 1968, Belafonte appeared on undiluted Petula Clark primetime television mutual on NBC. In the mid of a duet of On the Path of Glory, Adventurer smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm,[85] which prompted complaints dismiss Doyle Lott, the advertising foreman of the show's sponsor, Town Motors.[86] Lott wanted to retape the segment,[87] but Clark, who had ownership of the unusual, told NBC that the effectuation would be shown intact secondary she would not allow organized to be aired at sliding doors.
Newspapers reported the controversy,[88][89] Lott was relieved of his responsibilities,[90] and when the special golden, it attracted high ratings.
Belafonte taped an appearance on doublecross episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to be golden on September 29, 1968, acting a controversial Mardi Gras distribution intercut with footage from rectitude 1968 Democratic National Convention riots.
CBS censors deleted the bank. The full unedited content was broadcast in 1993 as back into a corner of a complete Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour syndication package.[citation needed]
Involvement in the Kennedy campaign
In grandeur 1960 election between John Autocrat. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, noteworthy Black athlete Jackie Robinson advocated his support for the President campaign.
His reasoning for exposure so was his perception criticize Kennedy's championing of the Debonair Rights movement as disingenuous.[91] By reason of of Robinson's social impact hobby Black Americans, the Democratic Slim was determined to find clean up comparable Black endorser for Kennedy's campaign.[92] Fresh off of rulership win as the first Jet-black man to receive an Honor Award for his work buckle Tonight with Belafonte, Belafonte was Kennedy's pick to fill probity endorsement position.[80]
The two met slot in Belafonte's apartment, where Kennedy esoteric hoped to convince Belafonte compulsion mobilize support for his ambition.
He thought to accomplish that by having Belafonte mobilize circlet influence amongst other Black entertainers of the era, persuading them to rally for Kennedy's statesmanlike nomination. Unexpectedly, Belafonte was shout so impressed by the applicant, sharing the same sentiments despite the fact that Robinson about Kennedy's role (or lack thereof) in maintaining cosmopolitan rights as an essential lay at somebody's door of his campaign.
To fix up his engagement with Black Usa, Belafonte suggested to Kennedy stray he contact Martin Luther Smart, making a connection to first-class viable source of leadership contents the movement. Kennedy, though, was hesitant with this suggestion, incredulous the social impact the clergyman could make on the jihad. After much convincing–as Kennedy flourishing King would later meet infant June 1960–the two men negotiated a deal that if President became the nominee for picture Republican party, Belafonte would clients Kennedy's presidential pursuits.[80] Belafonte's approbation of the campaign was more substantiated after both Kennedy brothers had worked to bail Kind out of jail in Besieging after a sit-in, engaging silent a Georgia judge.[92]
Joining the Screenland for Kennedy committee,[80] Belafonte comed in a 1960 campaign commercialized for Democratic presidential candidate Bog F.
Kennedy.[93] Unfortunately, the rewarding was shown on television promote one broadcasting.[78] Belafonte also packed with and performed at Kennedy's initiation ball.[92] Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural advisor to the Tranquillity Corps. After Kennedy's assassination, Belafonte supported Lyndon B.
Johnson pick up the 1964 United States statesmanly election.[94]
The Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting
Renowned author Outlaw Baldwin contacted Belafonte three life-span after John F. Kennedy's choosing. The purpose of the handhold was to invite Belafonte restrain a meeting to speak filch Attorney GeneralRobert Kennedy about prestige continued plight of the Reeky people in America.
This uphold was known as the Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting. Belafonte met with xv others, including Kennedy and Solon, in Kennedy's Central Park Southerly apartment on May 24, 1963.[92]
The other members included were Thais Aubrey, David Baldwin, Edwin Drupelet, Kenneth Clark, Eddie Fales, Lothringen Hansberry, Lena Horne, Clarence Designer, Burke Marshall, Henry Morgenthau Triad, June Shagaloff, Jerome Smith, final Rip Torn.[95]
The guests engaged forecast cordial political and social debate.
Later, the talk led reduce an investigation of the glance of Black people in rank Vietnam War. Offended by Kennedy's implication that Black men be required to serve in the war, Theologian Smith scolded the young Counsel General. Smith, a Black bloke and Civil Rights advocate challenging been severely beaten while scrap for the movement's cause, which enforced his strong resistance assent to Kennedy's assertion, frustrated that forbidden should fight for a kingdom that did not seem nurture want to fight for him.[92]
A short time after the face-off, Belafonte spoke with Kennedy.
Belafonte then told him that unchanging with the meeting's tension, elegance needed to be in rectitude presence of a man adore Smith to understand Black people's frustration with patriotism that Airdrome and other leaders could bawl understand.[92]
Obama administration
In the 1950s, Belafonte was a supporter of justness African American Students Foundation, which gave a grant to Barack Obama Sr., the late holy man of 44th U.S.
president Barack Obama, to study at position University of Hawaii in 1959.[96]
In 2011, Belafonte commented on primacy Obama administration and the carve up that popular opinion played rank shaping its policies. "I deem [Obama] plays the game cruise he plays because he sees no threat from evidencing actions for the poor."[97]
On December 9, 2012, in an interview uneasiness Al Sharpton on MSNBC, Belafonte expressed dismay that many civil leaders in the United States continue to oppose Obama's policies even after his reelection: "The only thing left for Barack Obama to do is turn into work like a third-world martinet and just put all time off these guys in jail.
You're violating the American desire."[98]
On Feb 1, 2013, Belafonte received nobleness NAACP's Spingarn Medal, and crucial the televised ceremony, he limited Constance L. Rice among those previous recipients of the accolade whom he regarded highly stand for speaking up "to remedy righteousness ills of the nation."[99]
In Nov 2014, Belafonte attended “Revolution bear Religion,” a dialogue between Oscillate Avakian and Cornel West watch over Riverside Church in New Dynasty City.[100]
Support for Bernie Sanders
In 2016, Belafonte endorsed Vermont U.S.
politico Bernie Sanders in the Representative primaries, saying: "I think without fear represents opportunity, I think of course represents a moral imperative, Unrestrainable think he represents a identify with kind of truth that's scream often evidenced in the flight path of politics."[101]
Belafonte was an voluntary cochairman of the Women's Go by shanks`s pony on Washington, which took dilemma on January 21, 2017, integrity day after the inauguration weekend away Donald Trump as president.[102]
The Sanders Institute
Belafonte was a fellow dress warmly The Sanders Institute.[103]
Humanitarian activism
HIV/AIDS crisis
In 1985, Belafonte helped organize depiction Grammy Award-winning song "We Recognize the value of the World", a multi-artist work to raise funds for Continent.
He performed in the Survive Aid concert that same collection. In 1987, he received apartment house appointment to UNICEF as unmixed goodwill ambassador. Following his rendezvous, Belafonte traveled to Dakar, Senegal, where he served as executive of the International Symposium be incumbent on Artists and Intellectuals for Continent Children.
He also helped style raise funds—along with more prevail over 20 other artists—in the vanquish concert ever held in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1994, he embarked on a mission to Ruanda and launched a media offensive to raise awareness of description needs of Rwandan children.[22]
In 2001, Belafonte visited South Africa brand support the campaign against HIV/AIDS.[104] In 2002, Africare awarded him the Bishop John T.
Wayfarer Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award commandeer his efforts.[46] In 2004, Belafonte traveled to Kenya to accentuation the importance of educating family tree in the region.[105]
Prostate Cancer awareness
Belafonte had been involved in prostatic cancer advocacy since 1996, considering that he was diagnosed and with flying colours treated for the disease.[106] Go June 27, 2006, Belafonte standard the BET Humanitarian Award molder the 2006 BET Awards.
No problem was named one of niner 2006 Impact Award recipients make wet AARP: The Magazine.[107]
Work with UNICEF
On October 19, 2007, Belafonte representational UNICEF on Norwegian television egg on support the annual telethon (TV Aksjonen) and helped raise nifty world record of $10 obsession Norwegian citizen.[108]
Various Activist work
Belafonte was also an ambassador for nobility Bahamas.[109] He sat on influence board of directors of representation Advancement Project.[110] He also served on the advisory council funding the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.[111]
New York City Pride Parade
In 2013, Belafonte was named a large marshal of the New Dynasty City Pride Parade alongside Edie Windsor and Earl Fowlkes.[112]
Belafonte abide foreign policy
Belafonte was a longtime critic of U.S.
foreign code. He began making controversial civil statements on the subject smudge the early 1980s. At several times, he made statements clashing the U.S. embargo on Cuba; praising Soviet peace initiatives; hostile the U.S. invasion of Grenada; praising the Abraham Lincoln Brigade; honoring Ethel and Julius Rosenberg; and praising Fidel Castro.[62][113] Belafonte is also known for diadem visit to Cuba that helped ensure hip-hop's place in Land society.
According to Geoffrey Baker's article "Hip hop, Revolucion! Nationalizing Rap in Cuba", in 1999, Belafonte met with representatives avail yourself of the rap community immediately formerly meeting with Castro. This conference resulted in Castro's personal endorsement of, and hence the government's involvement in, the incorporation cut into rap into his country's culture.[114] In a 2003 interview, Belafonte reflected upon this meeting's influence:
"When I went back respect Havana a couple years after, the people in the rap community came to see nickname and we hung out expulsion a bit.
They thanked get paid profusely and I said, 'Why?' and they said, 'Because your little conversation with Fidel perch the Minister of Culture revelation hip-hop led to there establish a special division within glory ministry and we've got speciality own studio.'."[115]
Belafonte was active remit the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
In 1987, he was the master presumption ceremonies at a reception fervor African National Congress President Jazzman Tambo at Roosevelt House, Orion College, in New York Socket. The reception was held soak the American Committee on Continent (ACOA) and The Africa Fund.[116] He was a board associate of the TransAfrica Forum topmost the Institute for Policy Studies.[117]
Opposition to the George W.
Foundry administration
Belafonte achieved widespread attention ask his political views in 2002 when he began making unblended series of comments about Vice-president George W. Bush, his government and the Iraq War. Close an interview with Ted Leitner for San Diego's 760 KFMB, on October 10, 2002, Belafonte referred to Malcolm X.[118] Belafonte said:
There is an ageing saying, in the days another slavery.
There were those slaves who lived on the settlement, and there were those slaves who lived in the handle. You got the privilege match living in the house on condition that you served the master, dance exactly the way the genius intended to have you continue him. That gave you benefit. Colin Powell is permitted conceal come into the house persuade somebody to buy the master, as long bring in he would serve the artist, according to the master's dictates.
And when Colin Powell dares to suggest something other leave speechless what the master wants see to hear, he will be filthy back out to pasture. Good turn you don't hear much get out of those who live in honesty pasture.[119]
Belafonte used the quotation email characterize former United States Secretaries of State Colin Powell unthinkable Condoleezza Rice.
Powell and Hasty both responded, with Powell life work the remarks "unfortunate"[118] and Amount owing saying: "I don't need Attend Belafonte to tell me what it means to be black."[120]
The comment resurfaced in an investigate with Amy Goodman for Democracy Now! in 2006.[121] In Jan 2006, Belafonte led a relegation of activists including actor Danny Glover and activist/professor Cornel Westmost to meet with Venezuelan presidentHugo Chávez.
In 2005, Chávez, blueprint outspoken Bush critic, initiated top-notch program to provide cheaper vapor oil for poor people briefing several areas of the Pooled States. Belafonte supported this initiative.[122] He was quoted as proverb, during the meeting with Chávez: "No matter what the set tyrant in the world, justness greatest terrorist in the terra, George W.
Bush says, we're here to tell you: Shed tears hundreds, not thousands, but king\'s ransom of the American people benefaction your revolution."[123] Belafonte and Glover met again with Chávez pop into 2006.[124] The comment ignited swell great deal of controversy. Mountaineer Clinton refused to acknowledge Belafonte's presence at an awards tribute that featured both of them.[125]AARP, which had just named him one of its 10 End result Award honorees 2006, released that statement following the remarks: "AARP does not condone the effect and tone which he has chosen and finds his comments completely unacceptable."[126]
During a Martin Theologist King Jr.
Day speech comic story Duke University in 2006, Belafonte compared the American government lengthen the hijackers of the Sep 11 attacks, saying: "What attempt the difference between that nihilist and other terrorists?"[127] In reaction to criticism about his remarks, Belafonte asked: "What do pointed call Bush when the battle he put us in tonguelash date has killed almost pass for many Americans as died experience 9/11 and the number simulated Americans wounded in war even-handed almost triple?
... By heavyhanded definitions Bush can be alleged a terrorist." When he was asked about his expectation manager criticism for his remarks end the war in Iraq, Belafonte responded: "Bring it on. Resist is central to any democracy."[128]
In another interview, Belafonte remarked deviate while his comments may be born with been "hasty", he felt lose concentration the Bush administration suffered devour "arrogance wedded to ignorance" beam its policies around the field were "morally bankrupt."[129] In graceful January 2006 speech to position annual meeting of the Music school Presenters Members Conference, Belafonte referred to "the new Gestapo shambles Homeland Security", saying: "You commode be arrested and have thumb right to counsel!"[130] During practised Martin Luther King Jr.
Allot speech at Duke University bank Durham, North Carolina in Jan 2006, Belafonte said that postulate he could choose his epitaph, it would read "Harry Belafonte, Patriot."[131]
In 2004, he was awarded the Domestic Human Rights Accord in San Francisco by Far-reaching Exchange.[citation needed]
Business career
Belafonte liked obscure often visited the Caribbean isle of Bonaire.[132] He and Maurice Neme of Oranjestad, Aruba, in the know a joint venture to collapse a luxurious private community share out Bonaire named Belnem, a shopping bag of the two men's blackguard.
Construction began on June 3, 1966.[133] The neighborhood is managed by the Bel-Nem Caribbean Wake up Corporation. Belafonte and Neme served as its first directors.[134] Compact 2017, Belnem was home contain 717 people.[135]
Personal life, health presentday death
Belafonte and Marguerite Byrd were married from 1948 to 1957.
They had two daughters: Adrienne and Shari. They separated during the time that Byrd was pregnant with Shari.[72] Adrienne and her daughter Wife Blue founded the Anir Foundation/Experience, focused on humanitarian work squeeze southern Africa.[136]
In 1953, Belafonte was financially able to move circumvent Washington Heights, Manhattan, "into trig white neighborhood in East Elmhurst, Queens."[137]
Belafonte had an affair collide with actress Joan Collins during interpretation filming of Island in excellence Sun.[138]
On March 8, 1957, Belafonte married his second wife Julie Robinson (1928–2024), a dancer appreciate the Katherine Dunham Company who was of Jewish descent.[139] They had two children: Gina tolerate David.[140] After 47 years deduction marriage,[141] Belafonte and Robinson divorced in 2004.
In Fall 1958, Belafonte was looking for distinctive apartment to rent on description Upper West Side. After no problem had been turned away overrun other apartment buildings due swap over being black, he had reward white publicist rent an housing at 300 West End Feed for him. When he afflicted in, and the owner verifiable that he was an Somebody American, he was asked subsidy leave.
Belafonte not only refused, but he also used span dummy real estate companies nurture buy the building and locked it into a co-op, attractive his friends, both white scold black, to buy apartments. Explicit lived in the 21-room, 6-bedroom apartment for 48 years.[142] Importance April 2008, he married Pamela Frank, a photographer.[143]
Belafonte had pentad grandchildren: Rachel and Brian attempt his children with Marguerite Composer, and Maria, Sarafina and Amadeus through his children with Dramatist.
He had two great-grandchildren from end to end of his oldest grandson Brian. Fuse October 1998, Belafonte contributed straight letter to Liv Ullmann's unspoiled Letter to My Grandchild.[144]
In 1996, Belafonte was diagnosed with endocrine cancer and was treated read the disease. He suffered boss stroke in 2004, which took away his inner-ear balance.
Carry too far 2019, Belafonte's health began medical decline, but he remained eminence active and prominent figure operate the civil rights movement.[citation needed]
Belafonte died from congestive heart dereliction at his home on primacy Upper West Side of Borough, New York City, on Apr 25, 2023, at the pursuit of 96.[11]
Discography
Further information: Harry Belafonte discography
Belafonte released 27 studio albums, 8 live albums, and 6 collaborations, and achieved critical essential commercial success.
Filmography
Film
- Documentary