The Root; Published By: Shanelle Genai
The Root is sad to report that actor, EGOT winner, and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte has died at age 96. On Tuesday, a rep for Belafonte confirmed that the legendary singer passed away due to congestive heart failure at his New York home.
Born in 1927’s Harlem, and raised in Jamaica for a portion of his life, Belafonte would evolve into an influential figure within both the arts and civil rights space in America. He broke barriers as one of the first Black leading men in Hollywood in the 1950s-1960s, often going up for roles alongside his acting contemporary and fellow barrier-breaker Sidney Poitier. Belafonte went on to star in films such as The Award Story, Island in the Sun, Odds Against Tomorrow, and perhaps most notably, Carmen Jones (co-starring Dorothy Dandridge), which received critical acclaim. Read more
