Harry Belafonte, the US civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world, has died. He was 96. 9News
He was among the Black activists at a widely publicised meeting with the attorney general, when playwright Lorraine Hansberry and others stunned Kennedy by questioning whether the country even deserved Black allegiance.In 1963, Belafonte was deeply involved with the historic March on Washington.
King's death left Belafonte isolated from the civil rights community. He was turned off by the separatist beliefs of Stokely Carmichael and other "Black Power" activists and had little chemistry with King's designated successor, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy. But the entertainer's causes extended well beyond the US.
Belafonte was very much a human being. He acknowledged extra-marital affairs, negligence as a parent and a frightening temper, driven by lifelong insecurity. "Woe to the musician who missed his cue, or the agent who fouled up a booking,″ he confided.In his memoir, he chastised Poitier for a "radical breach″ by backing out on a commitment to star as Mandela in a TV miniseries Belafonte had conceived, then agreeing to play Mandela for a rival production.
He was married three times, most recently to photographer Pamela Frank, and had four children. Three of them — Shari, David and Gina — became actors. He is also survived by two stepchildren and eight grandchildren.
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