“A tree is best measured when it is down,” the poet Carl Sandburg once observed, “and so it is with people.” The recent death of Harry Belafonte at the age of 96 has prompted many assessments of what this pioneering singer-actor-activist accomplished in a long and fruitful life.
Belafonte’s career as a ground-breaking entertainer brought him substantial wealth and fame; according to Playbill magazine, “By 1959, he was the highest paid Black entertainer in the industry, appearing in raucously successful engagements in Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles.” He scored on Broadway, winning a 1954 Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical – John Murray Anderson's Almanac. Belafonte was the first Black person to win the prestigious award. A 1960 television special, “Tonight with Belafonte,” brought him an Emmy for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series, making him the first Black person to win that award. He found equal success in the recording studio, bringing Calypso music to the masses via such hits as “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell.”
Harry Belafonte - Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) (Live)www.youtube.com
Belafonte’s blockbuster stardom is all the more remarkable for happening in a world plagued by virulent systemic racism. Though he never stopped performing, by the early 1960s he’d shifted his energies to the nascent Civil Right movement. He was a friend and adviser to the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and, as the New York Times stated, Belafonte “put up much of the seed money to help start the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was one of the principal fund-raisers for that organization and Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center notes that “he helped launch one of Mississippi’s first voter registration drives and provided funding for the Freedom Riders. His activism extended beyond the U.S. as he fought against apartheid alongside Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba, campaigned for Mandela’s release from prison, and advocated for famine relief in Africa.” And in 1987, he received an appointment to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador.
Over a career spanning more than seventy years, Belafonte brought joy to millions of people. He also did something that is, perhaps, even greater: he fostered the hope that a better world for all could be created. And, by his example, demonstrated how we might go about bringing that world into existence.
Steve Irwin's Family Has Helped 90,000 Animals
Many of the Australia Zoo's most recent patients came from the severe bushfire.
According to CBS, nearly half a billion animals have died in the bushfires that are currently terrorizing Australia.
Australia is home to expansive, unique wildlife, as well as plenty of residents who are fighting to keep the beauty of their country intact. One famed family, the Irwins—of the late Steve Irwin—is taking major steps to help.
Terri, Steve's widow, took over the Australia Zoo after his death in 2006. Since then, she and the two Irwin children, Bindi and Robert, have continued their shared passion for wildlife conservation and environmentalism, which has only been amplified in the wake of the fires.
"With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much," Bindi wrote on Instagram, ensuring fans that the Zoo and the Irwin's home would be safe. "Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though, having officially treated over 90,000 patients."
Below, check out some of the recent patients at the Australia Zoo that the Irwins have helped.
