Harry Belafonte Cause Of Death: Harry Belafonte, a pioneering actor and performer who later became an activist, humanitarian, and global advocate for human rights, has died. He was 96.
According to Ken Sunshine of the public relations firm Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis, Belafonte died of congestive heart failure on Tuesday at his New York residence with his wife Pamela by his side.
Many people are still familiar with Belafonte’s signature song, “Banana Boat Song (Day-O),” which features the catchphrase “Day-O! Daaaay-O.” He was one of the first African-American entertainers to garner a significant film audience and sell a million albums as a singer.
He had a greater impact, however, after he ceased performing in the 1960s and adopted his idol Paul Robeson’s maxim that artists are “gatekeepers of truth.”
Belafonte laboured alongside his friend Martin Luther King Jr.
He represents the archetype of a celebrity activist. Few individuals maintained Belafonte’s commitment and standing as a civil rights movement, Hollywood, and Washington centre.
In addition to participating in protest marches and charity concerts, Belafonte assisted in their planning and fundraising. He frequently advocated for and financially supported the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a friend and generational colleague, before politicians and other entertainers.
By criticising Jay Z and Beyonce for not carrying out their “social responsibilities,” he endangered his own life and livelihood. He also served as a mentor to Usher, Common, Danny Glover, and a number of other Black personalities. In Spike Lee’s 2018 film “BlacKkKlansman,” he was cast appropriately as an elder statesman instructing young activists on the nation’s history.