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OT: RIP Harry Belafonte

Hungry Jack

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Nov 17, 2008
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the cotton fields and bus shelters
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Actor, singer, activist and civil rights leader broke a lot of barriers during his 96 years. He befriended MLK and persuaded NU's own Charleton Heston (and other white actors) to accompany him to Washington to attend MLK's "I have a dream" speech. Later, he helped orchestrate the song "We Are the World" to help send food to Africa. He was the second American to be named a Goodwill Ambassador by the UN(ICEF). Danny Kaye was the first.

Born into poverty in 1927 in New York, and mostly fatherless as a youth, he discovered theater and befriended a young Sydney Poitier. By 1949, he was crooning pop songs, and he became a star in 1958 with his performance in "Calypso", which gave us the famed "Banana Boat Song."



RIP, Mr. Belafonte. Daylight come, and you want to go home.
 
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Saw him in person when I was in high school--very memorable performance--he was unique at that time.
 
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