Legendary singer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte has died. He was 96. According to CNN, Belefonte’s publicist Ken Sunshine stated that the cultural icon died of congestive heart failure on Tuesday morning. It is reported that his family was with him at the time of his death.
Known as the “King of Calypso,” Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. was born in 1927 and began life in Harlem, New York as the son of Jamaican-born parents. His father Harold George Bellanfanti Sr. worked as a chef, and his mother Melvine (née Love) was a housekeeper. In the 1940’s he began pursuing a career in music and acting, which kickstarted his life of stardom. Belafonte would go on to be a household name, in part thanks to his recording of “The Banana Boat Song”, with its signature “Day-O” lyric.
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In addition to his career in arts and entertainment, Belafonte was a renowned civil rights activist who was close friends with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was a supporter of numerous causes, such as UNICEF, and is credited as being the mind behind the iconic celebrity charity single “We Are the World.” Notably, Belafonte is also one of the rare stars to reach EGOT status, as he is the recipient of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.
Following the news of his death, many of Belafonte’s fans and peers have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late star. “Harry Belafonte was a standard bearer, in the tradition of Robeson, for generational artistry and deeply informed & committed social & political engagement,” tweeted actor Jeffrey Wright. “Maybe the last of a great tribe. As smart as he was knockdown handsome. He met the moment thruout his life. What a man. RIP.”
“May Harry Belafonte, the lionhearted civil rights hero, rest in peace. He inspired generations around the whole world in the struggle for non-violent resistancejustice and change. We need his example now more than ever.” added journalist Christiane Amanpour.
“I’m heartbroken at hearing of the death of Harry Belafonte, a true mentor & friend. I cherished the time he would give me & others to guide us & correct us. He was a history changing activist, a culture changing entertainer, & an unmatched intellectual. RIP & Power, Mr. B,” Reverend Al Sharpton wrote in a statement. Belafonte is survived by his wife Pamela Frank, four children, and five grandchildren.
