Harry Belafonte born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr was a Jamaican-American singer, actor and activist best known for popularizing calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s. Belafonte grew up in poverty in Harlem, New York, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he began performing in New York City clubs and quickly gained a following. His breakthrough hit, "Matilda," was released in 1953, and he went on to become the first artist to sell over a million copie... moreHarry Belafonte born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr was a Jamaican-American singer, actor and activist best known for popularizing calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s. Belafonte grew up in poverty in Harlem, New York, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he began performing in New York City clubs and quickly gained a following. His breakthrough hit, "Matilda," was released in 1953, and he went on to become the first artist to sell over a million copies of an album with his 1956 release, "Calypso." In addition to his music career, Belafonte was a tireless activist for civil rights and social justice. He was a close friend and confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington. Belafonte also served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and worked to combat poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. Belafonte received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the National Medal of Arts. Belafonte is one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). He will be remembered as one of the most prominent entertainers of the 20th century who used his platform to advocate for civil rights and social justice.
