Harry Belafonte, a well-known singer, actor, and civil rights activist, passed away at the age of 96 due to congestive heart failure, according to his publicist Ken Sunshine. Belafonte was celebrated as the “King of Calypso” after his hit song “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” became a sensation in 1956. He later became a movie star after essaying a role in the film adaptation of “Carmen Jones.” However, his most significant contributions were his work offstage, where he was a strategist, fundraiser, and mediator for the civil rights movement. Despite risking his entertainment career and even his life for his activism, Belafonte became a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and provided him with a sanctuary to escape the pressure of leading the movement. Belafontes political consciousness was influenced by his background growing up poor as the son of a Jamaican mother who worked as a domestic servant, and he was an avid reader who despised injustice.Belafonte in his later yearsBelafonte remained committed to radical activism throughout his later years, even as his physical appearance changed with age. He continued to be recognised for his contributions, receiving awards such as the Spingarn Medal, Kennedy Center Honor, National Medal of Arts, and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Belafonte also served as a mentor to other artists, just as Paul Robeson had mentored him. In his acceptance speech for the Spingarn Medal, he emphasised the importance of radical thinking in the quest for greater democracy. Belafonte was proud of the racial protests that took place across the US in 2020 and acknowledged the support of White allies. In 2016, a group of Black students asked him if there was anything he was still seeking despite his age.Belafontes response to the question asked by the group of Black students was, “What Ive always been looking for: Where resides the rebel heart” He believed that the rebellious heart was essential to effecting change and that without people who are willing to make sacrifices, we would be distracted by material possessions and titles. Despite his fame and fortune, Belafonte remained true to his activism and never lost his rebellious spirit. His contributions to the civil rights movement, the fight against apartheid, and humanitarian causes were his most significant achievements. He is survived by his wife, Pamela, children, stepchildren, and grandchildren.Belafonte was famously known as the “King of Calypso” after the release of his hit song “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” in 1956. However, his greatest contributions were made offstage as a key strategist, fundraiser, and mediator for the civil rights movement. He saw the civil rights movement as a global struggle and led a campaign against apartheid in South Africa. Belafonte also came up with the idea for recording the hit song “We Are the World” to raise money for famine relief in Africa. Despite his fame, Belafonte never mellowed in his activism and continued to speak out on social justice issues, often drawing criticism for his views on political leaders such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
