Harry Belafonte, 96, Dies; Barrier-Breaking Singer, Actor and Activist
In the 1950s, when segregation was still widespread, his ascent to the upper echelon of show business was historic. But his primary focus was civil rights.
April 25, New York Times
The New York Times offered extensive coverage on the web and / or in print:
- April 25: An Appraisal | Harry Belafonte, Folk Hero
- April 25: Harry Belafonte on His Artistic Values and His Activism
- April 25: Opinion | The Harry Belafonte Speech That Changed My Life
- April 26: Opinion | The Phone Call Between Belafonte and King That Changed Both Men’s Lives
- April 25: Harry Belafonte: A Life in Photos
- April 25: Watch These Great Harry Belafonte Screen Performances
- April 26: Playlist | Work, Love, Dignity and Play: 10 Key Harry Belafonte Songs
- April 26: Opinion | The Phone Call Between Belafonte and King That Changed Both Men’s Lives
- Photo Gallery: Harry Belafonte: A Life in Photos
‘I did all that I could’: the tireless activism of Harry Belafonte
"For as much of an impact he made as an actor and musician, it’s Belafonte’s legacy as an activist that towers like a eighth wonder monument over the current era of lapel-wearing, hashtag virtue signaling. Time and again, when Belafonte rightly could have looked out for No 1, he cannonballed into every social justice movement, protesting against apartheid, pushing for LGBTQ+ equality and condemning the military industrial complex."
A nice tribute from The Gaurdian (UK)
Harry Belafonte, versatile entertainer, civil and human rights activist, dead at 96
Whether on film, in song, at the podium, or on the ramparts, there was an artistic and political consistency in Harry Belafonte’s life. In the tradition of his idol Paul Robeson, Belafonte was unflinching in standing up for the downtrodden, expressing a relentless fight for civil and human rights. That principled life of conviction and speaking truth to power came to an end on Tuesday morning....
Harry Belafonte, barrier-smashing entertainer and activist, dies at 96
Mr. Belafonte once said he spent his life “in a constant state of rebellion.” He sharply rebuked American presidents — Democrats and Republicans — as not doing enough to end squalor in the United States or end conflicts abroad.
Harry Belafonte, activist and entertainer with a ‘rebel heart,’ dies at 96
A voracious reader with a burning disdain for injustice, Belafonte’s political consciousness was shaped by the experience of growing up as the impoverished son of a poor Jamaican mother who worked as a domestic servant.
A good read with many links to other source material, videos, and photos - CNN entertainment
RIP Harry Belafonte, Legendary Singer, Actor & Activist. Watch His Interviews on Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! is devastated to report the death of Harry Belafonte, the longtime civil rights activist who was an immensely popular singer and actor.....
Posted on the day of his death - Democracy Now!
An index of interviews and columns through the years - Democracy Now!
The day after - An hour "remembering the remarkable life of Harry Belafonte." - Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Harry Belafonte, Trailblazing Performer and Fierce Civil Rights Activist, Dies at 96
“Had I not been led to a place of activism, nothing in my life would have been worth its existence,” he told TIME in 2017 while sitting beside Gloria Steinem. “All these people made my life absolutely a tarantella — it’s a dance. It’s a place to be so privileged to be in.”
A full life - Time
