Obituaries

I am writing to honor the amazing life of Harry Belafonte, who died on April 25, 2023 at 96. Belafonte was a singer, actor and activist who popularized calypso music with his album Calypso (1956), which featured his signature song \"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)\". Belafonte also starred in movies and TV shows, winning an Emmy Award for his TV special Tonight With Belafonte (1959), which had a diverse cast of performers. He was one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT). But Belafonte was more than an entertainer. He was a leader and a visionary who supported various causes and movements. He was a close friend and ally of Martin Luther King Jr., whom he helped organize the March on Washington in 1963. He also raised funds and awareness for the civil rights movement, the anti-apartheid movement, the famine relief in Africa, the fight against HIV/AIDS and many other humanitarian issues. Belafonte received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to music, culture and society, including the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Harry Belafonte was a legend who sang with his heart, acted with his conscience and lived with his purpose. He will be remembered as a man who made the world a better place. He will be sorely missed.