Legendary singer and activist Harry Belafonte has died at the age of 96. Belafonte was known for his singing career that lasted for seven decades, also being one of the leading celebrities in the Civil Rights Movement. Goodbye To A Legend On April 25, Harry Belafonte, born Harold George Bellanfanti, Jr., died at 96 in […]
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We’re certainly sad to report the death of Harry Belafonte today, though proud to say that the multi-talent lived for 96 years, during which he accomplished insurmountable feats. TMZ shared the news on Tuesday (April 25). Ken Sunshine revealed to the outlet that the singer-turned-actor passed away in his Manhattan home today after battling congestive heart failure. Belafonte is survived by his wife, Pamela, and four children – one of which is Sistas actress, Shari Belafonte.
Additionally, the fallen icon has two stepchildren and several grandkids mourning their loss. Belafonte rose to fame during the 1950s, helping to popularize the genre of calypso music in America at the time. He’s best known for “Day-O,” or “Banana Boat Song,” which appears in the film Beetlejuice and has even been sampled by Lil Wayne. He was born to Jamaican parents in New York in March 1927, and the music they introduced him to at a young age obviously influenced his own releases. Calypso, his breakthrough album, was the first to ever sell more than one million copies in a year.
Apart from setting trends and breaking records sonically, Belafonte also had a noteworthy career as an actor. His credits include Island in the Sun, Carmen Jones, and Odds Against Tomorrow. One of the entertainer’s most frequent collaborators was Sidney Poitier. The two came together in the ’70s for both Uptown Saturday Night and Buck and the Preacher. Of course, his resume doesn’t stop there. Harry was a noted civil rights activist and spent plenty of time marching with Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the ’60s.
His last public event was in December 2022, when he was honoured with the National Order of the Legion of Honour from the French government – not a bad way to go out. The recording artist touched the hearts of many with his work and the way he lived his life, causing an outpouring of heartfelt tributes to surface on social media today. Scroll on to see some of the internet’s favourite memories of Harry Belafonte, and share any of yours in the comments. RIP.
Harry Belafonte – Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) (Live) (1956)
Sad news today on the passing of the great Harry Belafonte who has left us aged 96
R.I.P. #ripharrybelafonte #harrybelafonte #rip #singer #actor #music #50s pic.twitter.com/YVa3Eduf2e
— Giz
(@MusicMemoriesUK) April 25, 2023
Harry Belafonte
Thank you for everything you brought to our world
pic.twitter.com/lcbMqpoZT4
— Muppet History
(@HistoryMuppet) April 25, 2023
Mannnnn Rest in Power to Harry Belafonte. A life well lived, and significantly helped to push Jamaica into the mainstream. This has always been one of my favorite videos of him. Legends respecting a legend
pic.twitter.com/KbwHDANAWU
— ۟ (@SlamminnSalmon) April 25, 2023
Singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte passed away at 96. Belafone was the 1st African American to win an Emmy. RIP legend
— 247 Live Culture (@247LC) April 25, 2023
Sorry to hear of the death of great singer, actor & civil rights activist Harry Belafonte aged 96, here singing the beautiful calypso song Islands In The Sun…RIP Harry pic.twitter.com/1b0WokcrGT
— John Pitchford
(@Johnnypapa64) April 25, 2023
“When I was born, I was colored. I soon became a Negro. Not long after that I was black. Most recently I was African-American. It seems we’re on a roll here. But I am still first and foremost in search of freedom.”
May you Rest in Peace, Harry Belafonte, 1927-2023.
— Tibor M. Kalman (@kalmantibs) April 25, 2023
[Via]
Harry Belafonte, iconic Jamaican-American singer-songwriter, actor, and activist, has died. He was 96 years old.
Ken Sunshine, longtime representative for Belafonte, confirmed in a press release Belafonte died due to congestive heart failure. He was at his New York home when he died at age 96 “with his wife Pamela [Frank] by his side.”
Born in Jamaica, Belafonte immigrated to America, finding himself a resident of Harlem. Belafonte dropped out of high school and joined the U.S. Navy. After an honorable discharge, Belafonte returned to New York before launching his career and landing his first leading role in June and the Pacock at the American Negro Theatre. Belafonte would go on to win a Tony award in 1954.
Belafonte was a multi-hyphenate talent, including a singer and songwriter, spanning jazz, pop, and folk genres. In the same year he won his Tony for Almanac, Belafonte released his first album in 1954. In 1956, Belafonte returned with his breakout release Calypso, selling one million copies and being dubbed the “King of Calypso.” The album spawned “Day-O (Banana Boat Song),” becoming the most notable single from Calyspo and being an effort of the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009. Belafonte would also secure an Emmy award in 1960 for his work in The Revlon Revue: Tonight With Belafonte.
Belafonte’s life and career were filled with efforts of activism. During the spark of his career, Belafonte worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to support the civil rights movement. Blending activism and culture, he would lean on the support of artists worldwide to highlight the issues that impacted African nations. Most notably, famine and wars resulted in a $60 million investment in the nation through the Hands Across America campaign, which featured “We Are the World.” Most recently, he celebrated his 94th birthday through a virtual party that raised money for The Gathering for Justice, a nonprofit created to end child incarceration while working to eliminate the racial inequities that permeate the justice system. Throughout his life, he served as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
Throughout Belafonte’s life, he was awarded the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton and the Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award for his work in Africa and Africare.
He was survived by his wife Pamela, four children, two stepchildren, and eight grandchildren.
Rest in peace, Harry Belafonte.
The post World Icon, Activist, Actor, and Singer Harry Belafonte Dead at Age 96 appeared first on The Source.
Harry Belafonte is dead at 96 years old, The New York Times reports. He died today (April 25) at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan due to congestive heart failure, longtime spokesman Ken Sunshine told the publication.
Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927 in Harlem, but spent a significant portion of his childhood growing up in Jamaica. He is perhaps best known for his recording of “Banana Boat (Day-O),” a traditional Jamaican folk song. The track appeared on Belafonte’s iconic 1956 album Calypso, which is recognized as the first album by a single artist to sell 1 million copies. Belafonte is widely credited with popularizing calypso music internationally. Belafonte also had the idea for the iconic 1985 charity single “We Are The World.”
His musical success led to a trailblazing career in movies: The New York Times called him “the first Black actor to achieve major success in Hollywood as a leading man.” He was also a civil rights leader and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In a 2021 interview, Belafonte spoke about the current generation of educators teaching about Black history, saying, “As a singer and an activist, I found this to be true: You can cage the singer, but you cannot cage the song. This is a very potent philosophy. The impact of art is irreversible, and I think it’s the same when young people learn their true history. You can ban the lesson plan — and across the country, we see that they are doing just that — but you can’t stop the impact of that knowledge from taking root in the minds of young people. Those who are teaching Black history in ways that reach our young people and the masses are doing critically important work.”
The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class has been announced. The icons included are Eminem, Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie, Jimmy & Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Iovine will also be inducted.
Additional inductees include Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, Judas Priest, Allen Grubman, and Sylvia Robinson.
“This diverse group of inductees each had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock & roll,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, in a statement. “Their music moved generations and influenced so many artists that followed.”
“Being elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an incredible honor. I would like to say THANK YOU to all of the voters, to all of my wonderful fans and to everyone at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Congratulations to all of my fellow 2022 inductees!” Richie said to Billboard.
The 37th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will have ticket information available soon. On November 5, the ceremony will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, with a radio broadcast on SiriusXM’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame radio station. The event will also be shown on HBO at a later date and streamed on HBO Max.
The post Eminem, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Iovine Among 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees appeared first on The Source.
On March 1 legendary activist, singer, and actor Harry Belafonte will celebrate his 94th birthday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a fundraising event through his organization Gathering For Justice will be held on February 28 to commemorate the big day, featuring a healthy collection of celebrity friends and fans. Among the names on the guest list are Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jay-Z, the latter who will accept the Gatekeeper Of Truth Award.
Belafonte’s event is sponsored by philanthropist and investor Robert F. Smith and his wife, Hope. There will also be performances, video tributes, and testimonials by civil rights and racial justice leaders, artists, athletes, and more. In addition to Jay-Z and Miranda, viewers can also catch appearances from Common, Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard, Chuck D, Bernie and Jane Sanders, Stacey Abrams, Aloe Blacc, Tamika D. Mallory, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tiffany Haddish, Usher, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and more.
Belafonte founded the organization in 2005 after learning of a 5-year-old Black girl who was cuffed and arrested in a Florida classroom for being unruly. Altogether, their goal is to build a movement to end child incarceration while working to irradicate racial inequities.
The virtual event will be held on 2/28 at 7 PM EST. You can read more information about it here.
