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Birth

Harold George Belafonte or known to the world as Harry Belafonte, was born on March 1, 1927 in New York City to the parents of Harold George Belafonte Sr. and Melvine Love Belafonte.

Family

Belafonte mother is from Jamaica and his father is an native of Martinique which is located north of South America along the Caribbean Sea. In 1935, Melvine Belafonte moved her family back to her hometown of Jamaica after rioting begin to break out in Harlem, New York. While living in Jamica, Harry Belafonte lived in Kingston, Blue Mountains, and Saint Anne’s Bay. In 1940, just five years after living in Jamaica, Belafonte returned to the city of Harlem.

Education

In the year of 1944, Harry Belafonte attended George Washington School in New York City where he excelled in being a track star. Although Belafonte did well in sports, he later dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U. S Navy.

Achievements, Awards, and Recognition

Harry Belafonte : More Than an Entertainer

Belafonte and five others awarder for their contributions to the civil rights movement, engineering, the law, and

service to the nation.

Belafonte with Coretta Scott King and her children at Martin Luther King’s Jr. , funeral

References

In the year of 1956, Belafonte sold his first album entitled, Calypso. This album sold over 1.5 million copies. Due to the success of this album, Belafonte became the first African American to have a record achieve platinum status.

1. "Belafonte, Harry." Contemporary Black Biography. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 6 Jul. 2015

2. "Belafonte, Harry." Grove Music Online. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Oxford African American Studies Center. Mon Jul 06 01:39:20 EDT 2015. <http://www.oxfordaasc.com/article/grove/796624>.

3. “Belafonte, Harry.” King Encyclopedia. Stanford. Edu. 2005. Web. 6 Jul 2015.4. “Where is Martinique”. Worldatlas.com. 2015. Web. 6 Jul 20155. “Belafonte, Harry”. Imdb. 1990-2015. Imdb.com. 6 Jul 20156. “Belafonte, Harry.” Movies and TV. Nytimes.com. 2015. Web. 6 Jul 2015.

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Legacy (If deceased)

The Beginning

Personal Life

•Accomplishments, Awards and Recognition

•Personal LifeI.Marriage/Family InvolvementII.ChildrenIII.Personal Hobbies

Marriage/ Family Life

In the year of 1948, Harry Belafonte met his first love. She went by the name of Marguerite Byrd. Sadly, they soon divorced. After experiencing his first divorce, Belafonte found love again and married his second wife Julie Robinson in the year of 1957.

Children

While being married with Marguerite Byrd, Belafonte and her created one child together. She went by the name Shari Belafonte. Once becoming married with his second wife, Julie Robinson, they created Gina Belafonte and David Belafonte. Ironically, all of Belafonte’s children later on became to be actresses, actors, and producers.

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Belafonte gold album of Calypso presented in 1958

Harry Belafonte was not only recognized for his acting and singing skills. During the 1960’s, Belafonte used his success in entertainment to help provide financial assistance the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). In March 1963, Belafonte met with Fred Shuttlesworth and Martin Luther King, Jr. to discuss plans for the Civil Rights Movement. While King was once in Jail, Belafonte raised $50,000 to help the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, Alabama to continue.

Personal Hobbies

Harry Belafonte always had a love for film, singing, and acting. In the year of 1945, Belafonte started his career towards being an actor. He studied at drama workshops at the New School of Social Research to enhance his chances of becoming the greatest entertainer there will ever be.

Harry Belafonte age 19 as a member of the United States Navy.

Harry Belafonte and Dr. King back stage at Madison Square Garden.

Personal Life

Most Memorable Achievement(s)

Posthumous Awards

Harry Belafonte first met Dr. King in 1956 during the Montgomery bus boycott. Belafonte became great friends with not only King, but King’s wife Coretta Scott king and their children. He became one of Dr. King’s most trusted advisers. After the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, Harry Belafonte served as an executor of King’s estate and also chaired the Martin Luther King , Jr. Memorial Fund. Also, he continued to help support the national and international civil rights humanitarian issues.

Belafonte highly embraced the Civil Rights Movement as a tool to achieve equality for African Americans. There was no aspect of the highly recognized movement in which he had no involvement in. He did such things as bailed student protestors out of jail, raised money for Freedom Rides, and also paid Dr. King’s bail when he was arrested in Birmingham. When Belafonte was asked about the numerous actions that he was doing harry stated that he felt he was doing something right.