Harry Belafonte Passes At Age 96. Remembering his human rights legacy are several organizations and individuals
Harry Belafonte was a singer, actor, and activist. Regarding his activism, Wikipedia has the following to say:
“Belafonte is said to have married politics and pop culture. Belafonte’s political beliefs were greatly inspired by the singer, actor, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, who mentored him. Robeson opposed not only racial prejudice in the United States but also western colonialism in Africa. Belafonte refused to perform in the American South from 1954 until 1961.
In 1960, Belafonte appeared in a campaign commercial for Democratic Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural advisor to the Peace Corps. Belafonte supported Lyndon B. Johnson for the 1964 United States presidential election.
Belafonte gave the keynote address at the ACLU of Northern California’s annual Bill of Rights Day Celebration In December 2007 and was awarded the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured the documentary film Sing Your Song, a biographical film focusing on Belafonte’s contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and his endeavors to promote social justice globally. In 2011, Belafonte’s memoir My Song was published by Knopf Books…..
Belafonte supported the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s confidants. He provided for King’s family since King made only $8,000 a year as a preacher. Like many other civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. During the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, he bailed King out of Birmingham, Alabama City Jail and raised $50,000 to release other civil rights protesters. He contributed to the 1961 Freedom Rides, supported voter registration drives, and helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington.”
This is only the beginning of his activism, as his fight for the rights of others continued for the rest of his lifetime.
Belafonte at the 2011 Viennale. Image Credit – Manfred Werner – Tsui – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Following are statements from several organizations about the life and activism of Harry Belafonte:
CITIZEN ACTION CELEBRATES THE HUMAN RIGHTS LEGACY OF HARRY BELAFONTE
In response to the news of Harry Belafonte’s passing, Citizen Action of New York’s Co-Executive Director, Rosemary Rivera, had the following to say:
“Mr. Belafonte dedicated his entire life to the movement for civil and human rights and liberation from oppression. He understood ‘artivism’ and how to speak to the heart and not only the mind. From investing in an early Civil Rights movement to continuing to mentor today’s young organizers, his impact was astounding. As we celebrate his life and legacy, may we all be inspired to find the ways that we can bring our unique gifts and talents into the service of the movement for freedom, justice and equality.”
ACLU Statement on Death of Harry Belafonte; Mr. Belafonte was one of the first ACLU Artist Ambassadors
In response to the passing of Harry Belafonte, American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director, Anthony D. Romero, issued the following statement:
“Harry Belafonte was a lifelong activist who broke racial barriers throughout his storied career and advocated for racial justice until the very end. An instrumental artist-leader in the Civil Rights struggle, Mr. Belafonte invested in and fundraised for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and he helped to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
“Mr. Belafonte understood that alongside advocating for systemic change in the courts and through legislation, there was power in changing hearts and minds through art and culture. He believed that actors, musicians, and all artists have a responsibility to use their platform to advance social justice.
“As one of the ACLU’s first Artist Ambassadors, Mr. Belafonte was passionate about ending the school to prison pipeline and advocating for juvenile justice. Through his organization Sankofa Justice and Equity Fund, he invested in the power of artists and entertainers to create systemic change through culture. Understanding the power and privilege his career as an artist provided, Mr. Belafonte mentored generations of activists, and he encouraged other artists to not back down from the necessary fight for racial justice.”
Pelosi Statement on the Passing of Harry Belafonte
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the passing of Harry Belafonte:
“Today, Americans mourn the loss of Harry Belafonte: a cultural giant who blazed trails in American music and in the fight to realize America’s highest ideals.
“The son of Caribbean immigrants, Harry overcame poverty and bigotry to bless our world with his extraordinary talent. The iconic voice of the King of Calypso will never cease to spark smiles and brighten rooms, and his relentless advocacy for human rights leaves an indelible legacy that will be felt for generations. Whether standing alongside Dr. King at the March on Washington, fighting against Apartheid or mobilizing for famine relief for Africa, he answered great moral crises of his time with his fiery, passionate activism.
“May it be a comfort to his loving wife Pamela, his dear children and step-children, his many beloved grandchildren, and his entire family that so many around the world mourn their loss and are praying for them during this sad time.”
Banner Image: Harry Belafonte. Image Credit – Wikipedia
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