An actor, humanitarian and the acknowledged king of
calypso, Harry Belafonte ranks among the most important
performers of the postwar era. One of the most successful
African-American pop stars in history, Belafonte’s
staggering talent and masterful assimilation of folk, jazz
and world beat rhythms allowed him to achieve a level of
mainstream eminence and crossover popularity virtually
unparalleled in mid-century America. Belafonte has been a
vocal leader in human rights movements, most notably
with the Civil Rights movement in America, and as initiator
of the We Are the World African aid project in the mid-80s.
His close friend Dr. Martin Luther King said of Belafonte:
“His commitment to our cause is a key ingredient to the
global struggle for freedom … We are blessed by his
courage and moral integrity.”
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