Harry Belafonte Is Still A Heartthrob At 94

Feb 25, 2022 by apost team

When you hear the name Harry Belafonte, many roles and attributes most likely come to mind. Belafonte is a noble man with several wonderful skills. He has worked as a singer, songwriter and actor but has been revolutionary with his work as an activist. While he has really proven himself as a performer and actor, Belafonte’s kind heart and good deeds are what have made him such a significant person in history.

Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York. During his younger years, he lived with his grandmother in Jamaica before returning to New York City. After graduating from high school, Belafonte joined the Navy and served during World War II. During the 1940s, he fell in love with performing and decided to take acting classes. Some of his colleagues included Marlon Brando and Bea Arthur.

It wasn’t long before Belafonte was a household name. His breakthrough album “Calypso” was released in 1956, sparking a great music career. He is known for his recording of “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” as well as incorporating several genres into his own sound. On top of that, Belafonte was already making a name for himself in the acting industry – something that he still does today. His most recent film was Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” in 2018.

Belafonte was considered a heartthrob back in the day and is still showing just how beautiful he is inside and out. He has continued to advocate for social justice and has also remained relevant in the entertainment industry. Read on to find out more about his life today as he approaches his 95th birthday.

Belafonte has lived a very fulfilling life – and he still has plenty of drive and determination left in him – but he hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from. According to NPR, he is the son of Jamaican immigrants. Belafonte’s gifts as a singer and songwriter are ultimately what helped lead him out of poverty. Speaking with the Guardian in 2012, he said that his greatest life achievement was “surviving all that life has thrown” at him.

Belafonte has gone on to become known as the “King of Calypso” for popularizing the Caribbean musical style around the world, according to Smooth Radio. He has gone on to infuse several other genres in his own sound, including blues, folk, and gospel. 

As an actor, Belafonte has starred in several films, including “Carmen Jones” and “Odds Against Tomorrow.” He has also acted in works that line up with his personal beliefs, such as “BlacKkKlansman.” According to Deadline, Belafonte even interrupted his retirement to appear in the film.

Belafonte has been married three times and is currently still married to his third wife, Pamela Frank. The pair tied the knot back in April 2008. He also has two children from his first marriage to Marguerite Byrd and two from his second marriage to Julie Robinson. According to the Sanders Institute, Belafonte also has eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Back in 2011, Belafonte released a memoir titled “My Song,” which tells the story of his life in poverty and how he has since become extremely successful. Goodreads describes the memoir as: “...far more powerful than the history of a movement. It is a very personal look at the people in that movement and the world in which Belafonte has long moved.”

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With such an impactful career, it’s no surprise that Belafonte has been honored with numerous awards. He received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the President’s Merit Award, as well as one Tony Award. According to CNN, he was the first Black person to ever win an Emmy Award. The Sanders Institute reported that he was also the first recording artist to sell over a million copies of a single album with “Calypso.”

While Belafonte’s work as a singer and actor has continued to leave a long-lasting legacy, his work during the Civil Rights Movement and on is what has been extremely influential. Speaking with the Guardian in 2012, Belafonte said his most deplorable trait is his “insatiable appetite for social change.”

During the 1960s, the rising star was a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. According to CNN, Belafonte organized a group of celebrities to attend the 1963 March on Washington. NPR reported that he helped organize the “We Are the World” anthem for famine relief in Africa in the 1980s. In 2017, he was named as an honorary co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington alongside Gloria Steinem. Belafonte is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Belafonte told NPR, “A lot of people say to me, ‘When as an artist did you decide to become an activist?’ I say to them, ‘I was long an activist before I became an artist.’” Today, Belafonte is 94 years old and is continuing to use his platform for the betterment of others. It’s evident that his legacy will continue to live on for many generations to come.

Did you know about Harry Belafonte’s powerful work over the years? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones, too.