Singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte has died at home in Manhattan aged 96.
One of the most successful African-American pop stars in history, he scored hits with Island In The Sun, Mary’s Boy Child and the UK number one Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).
But his greatest achievements were as a campaigner for black civil rights in the US.
Over his career, he recorded more than 30 albums, including collaborative records with Nana Mouskouri, Lena Horne, and Miriam Makeba.
He also campaigned against poverty, apartheid and Aids in Africa; and became an ambassador for Unicef, the United Nations children’s fund.
In 1985, he organised the charity single “We Are the World”, an all-star musical collaboration that raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Featuring superstars like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles and Diana Ross, the song – written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie – raised millions of dollars.
Throughout his life, he also defended Michael Jackson:
“Michael Jackson is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law, I cannot charge my colleague on the basis of media reports and television programs.” Belafonte told Agence France while working on behalf of UN Children’s Fund in Nairobi.
All our condolences to his friends and family.
