He passed away this morning of congestive heart failure at his New York home, with his wife Pamela by his side.
Belafonte is considered among the most successful Caribbean-American music stars of all time and was a figure in Hollywood during the 1950s and 1960s, before becoming an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement.
He was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and backed many historic political and social causes and events, including the anti-Apartheid Movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change and the decolonization of Africa. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, leading a delegation of Hollywood including best friend Sidney Poitier, as well as Paul Newman, Sammy Davis, Jr, Marlon Brando, Rita Moreno, Tony Curtis and many others.
Belafonte starred in several movies, including Bright Road, Carmen Jones, Buck and the Preacher and Uptown Saturday Night, the latter two appearing opposite Poitier. He also produced films such as Beat Street, and later in his career appeared in movies including White Man’s Burden, Kansas City and Bobby.
His breakthrough album was 1956’s ‘Calypso’, which was recorded three years after his first widely released single, ‘Matilda.’ While calypso was his signature sound, he recorded gospel, American standards, blues and show tunes.
Source: Deadline
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