Harry Belafonte

Bio

Harry Belafonte (1927–2023) was an American singer, actor, and activist whose smooth baritone and fusion of Caribbean rhythms with pop made him one of the first Black performers to achieve mainstream international stardom. His 1956 album Calypso became the first million-selling LP by a solo artist, and its signature track “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” remains a global standard. Beyond music, Belafonte was a lifelong civil-rights advocate who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr., produced socially conscious films, and served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, using his platform to champion humanitarian causes throughout his six-decade career.