Harry Belafonte: Calypso King, Actor and Civil Rights Champion Dies at 9

Harry Belafonte was an American singer, actor and activist, nicknamed the King of Calypso, who used his fame to fight for civil rights and humanitarian causes. Born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York City, he grew up partly in Jamaica and became one of the first Black superstars of popular music.

Belafonte won a Tony Award in 1954 for John Murray Anderson's Almanac. His 1956 album Calypso became the first million-selling LP by a single artist, and in 1960 he became the first Black performer to win an Emmy. In 2014 he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy.

Belafonte was a close friend and supporter of Martin Luther King Jr., helped fund the civil rights movement and refused to perform in the American South for several years. He married three times and had four children, including Shari and Gina Belafonte. He died at his home on Manhattan's Upper West Side on April 25, 2023, at age 96, of congestive heart failure. Remembered for his conscience as much as his voice, he left a legacy of courage.

Achievements: Won a Tony Award (1954), released Calypso, the first million-selling album by a single artist (1956), first Black performer to win an Emmy (1960), received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2014).

Birth: March 1, 1927 - Harlem, New York City.

Profession: Singer, actor and civil rights activist.

Interesting Facts: He turned down the lead role in the film of Porgy and Bess because he objected to its racial stereotypes. He was a trusted confidant of Martin Luther King Jr.