Harry Belafonte was also a civil rights activist who closely worked with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. With King, Belafonte was one of those who planned the 1963 march on Washington|David Shankbone|Public Domain
Legendary Jamaican-American singer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte passed away Tuesday due to congestive heart failure. He was 96.
Belafonte popularized the Calypso music style and is known for his signature hit “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” and its call of “Day-O! Daaaaay-O.”
He was also a civil rights activist who closely worked with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. With King, Belafonte was one of those who planned the 1963 march on Washington.
Belafonte belatedly considered entering full-time politics in the Democratic party, but social commitments took precedence.
Condolences poured in from singers, actors and politicians. President Joe Biden remarked, “Jill and I are saddened by the passing of a groundbreaking American who used his talent, his fame, and his voice to help redeem the soul of our Nation.”
“Harry Belafonte was a barrier-breaking legend who used his platform to lift others up. He lived a good life – transforming the arts while also standing up for civil rights,” said former president Barack Obama.