Harry BelafonteActor, singer and civil rights pioneer, has passed away at the age of 96.
He died of heart failure this morning at his New York home with his wife, Pamela, by his side.
Belafonte is considered one of the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and was a figurehead in Hollywood during the 1950s and 1960s before becoming an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement.
He was a confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and supported many historical political and social causes and events, including the anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change, and the colonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation from Hollywood that included best friend Sidney Poitier, as well as Paul Newman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Marlon Brando, Rita Moreno, Tony Curtis and many more. Others were involved.
Belafonte starred in several films, including bright road, carmen jones, buck and preacher And uptown saturday night, the latter two appearing opposite Poitiers. also produced films like beet streetand later in his career appeared in films including white man’s burden, Kansas City And policeman,
Her breakthrough album was 1956’s ‘Calypso’, recorded three years after her first widely released single ‘Matilda’. While calypso was his signature sound, he also recorded gospel, American standards, blues, and show tunes.
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