Harry Belafonte, singer, actor and activist, dies aged 96
Several United States media outlets are reporting that Harry Belafonte has died.
The singer, whose dynamic acappella shout of “Day-O!” from The Banana Boat Song and other music from world folk traditions propelled him to international stardom, reportedly died at his home in Manhattan on Tuesday.
He was 96-years-old.
Spokesman Ken Sunshine said the cause of death was congestive heart failure.
Belafonte was born to Jamaican immigrants, grew up in poverty in depression-era Harlem and became a major black crossover success in popular music.
He went on to smash a series of barriers during five decades as a movie, TV and stage star. His artistic and humanitarian work frequently overlapped, reflecting his belief that “the role of art isn’t just to show life as it is but to show life as it should be”.
Belafonte used his entertainment fortune to help bankroll the civil rights movement at home and human rights causes worldwide.