Harry Belafonte was a Jamaican-American singer, actor, and social activist. Belafonte is known for his contributions to American popular music, particularly in the genres of calypso and folk music.
He is also recognized for his work as an actor in films such as “Carmen Jones” (1954), “Island in the Sun” (1957), and “Buck and the Preacher” (1972).
Beyond his entertainment career, Belafonte has also been involved in numerous social and political causes. He was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement and worked closely with Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Throughout his career, Belafonte has received numerous honours and awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the National Medal of Arts. He has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
What did Harry Belafonte fight for?
For his whole life, Harry Belafonte has fought for civil rights and social justice. He has battled for several causes during the course of his career, such as:
Racial Equality: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Belafonte collaborated closely to advance racial equality and social justice throughout the civil rights struggle.
Humanitarian Causes: Belafonte has worked to increase awareness and support for a number of humanitarian causes, such as hunger relief, child welfare, and disaster response, since he became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1987.
A prominent opponent of apartheid in South Africa, Belafonte sought to bring attention to the problem and help the anti-apartheid campaign.
What movies did Harry Belafonte star in?
- Bright Road (1953)
- Carmen Jones (1954)
- Island in the Sun (1957)
- The Heart of Show Business (1957 short)
- The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959)
- Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)
- King: A Filmed Record… Montgomery to Memphis (1970 documentary) (narrator)
- The Angel Levine (1970)
- Buck and the Preacher (1972)
- Uptown Saturday Night (1974)
- Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker (1981 documentary)
- A veces miro mi vida (1982)
- Drei Lieder (1983 short)
- Sag nein (1983 documentary)
- Der Schönste Traum (1984 documentary)
- We Shall Overcome (1989 documentary) (narrator)
- The Player (1992) (cameo)
- Ready to Wear (1994) (cameo)
- Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream (1995)
- White Man’s Burden (1995)
- Jazz ’34 (1996)
- Kansas City (1996)
- Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist (1998 documentary)
- Swing Vote (1999 TV movie)
- Fidel (2001 documentary)
- XXI Century (2003 documentary)
- Conakry Kas (2003 documentary)
- Ladders (2004 documentary) (narrator)
- Mo & Me (2006 documentary)
- Bobby (2006)
- Motherland (2009 documentary)
- Sing Your Song (2011 documentary)
- Hava Nagila: The Movie (2013 documentary)
- BlacKkKlansman (2018)
- The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte hosts the Tonight Show (2020 documentary)