Remembering Harry Belafonte
An incredible, dynamic, great looking entertainer and far more important, an eloquent, productive, caring activist for human rights, Harry Belafonte, died yesterday at age 96.
It is pretty certain that with the attributes and accomplishments along his name, that he followed in the great footsteps of his mentor, the one and only Paul Robeson, and that high, well deserved praise would please Harry Belafonte.
One can imagine a 5 person team above with Harry now a 6th, to spark them, a la John Havlicek, who might be on a similar great, departed team, with 5 and 6 as basketball numbers.
Mr. Belafonte accomplished so much and the five I cite, while beyond great and important, are a “tip of the iceberg,” as among others, where is Nelson Mandela?
Harry had Eleanor Roosevelt in his home. I believe ditto regarding President Kennedy and his brother Robert. As cited, Paul Robeson was his mentor. Together they did so much good.
Maybe most meaningful among Mr. Belafonte’s associations, was the one with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.
Stressing the good moral compass, the Kennedys eventually showed, but society has still nowhere near attained, King and Belafonte organized and with help (Mr. Poitier among them, as cited in a previous post here that I will “link”), leaving to enter the dark, dangerous, southern nights (no Glen Campbell song here or there then, now?) made strides for people so incredibly, unfairly and systemically denied them.
Mr. Belafonte, while better known for his incredible singing, (a little “day-o” will help vs those chemicals, just about now) was an exceptional, under rated actor.
The sheer beauty of Dorothy Dandridge and Harry in the Otto Preminger directed “Carmen Jones,” Harry as a “turn the tables,” abusive, racist, but with the power, Black man opposite John Travolta in “White Man’s Burden” are just two, among many, not only worth watching but studying, films in which he performed.
His book “My Song: A Memoir” is so “chock full” of great notes, one might think of Horn and Hardart.
Gina Belafonte, one of his four children, now takes the full reins of Sankofa.Org, a truly inspiring organization, helping in the much needed quest for social justice.
Of course when I met Mr. Belafonte he was polite and classy.
So much more I can say and perhaps will.
For now some links below from previous posts regarding Harry Belafonte.
I am not ashamed to tear up thinking about all he did, the great deserved praise, the sad reality of now but also the progress he led (forgive: “Harry The Change Yo Helped Bring, We Keep-ode to another Harry, (Chapin) whose care for the hungry lives on now 42 years since a tragic car accident took him) with the fervent hope it will continue.
Look down and try to again help us, while being an entertaining activist, as you were here, above.
Harry Belafonte Tribute At Town Hall
Andy B Sports 