Harry Belafonte

Harold George Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927 in New York City. He was educated at the New York Dramatic Workshop. He grew up in Jamaica, British West Indies, and did folk-singing in nightclubs and theaters, and on television and records. His debut was at the Village Vanguard in New York. Also, he appeared in the Broadway revues "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" and "Three for Tonight". He owns his own music publishing firm and film production company.

Appeared in the American Negro Theatre play "Days of Our Youth" (1946). His friend Sidney Poitier succeeded Belafonte and was spotted by a talent agent who ignited his Hollywood career. Both actors are activists and long-time friends. Born only nine days apart, they met in New York in 1947, before either was even in show business.

He won a Tony Award in 1953, a Donaldson Award in 1953-1954, a Show Business Award in 1954, a Diners' Club Award in 1955-1956, and an Emmy Award for "Tonight with Belafonte". He has made many records.

Won Broadway's 1954 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for "John Murray Anderson's Almanac", becoming the first Black performer to receive a Tony Award.

Recorded the first million-selling LP album with "Calypso" (RCA: 1956), which started a craze for this traditional Jamaican folk music in the United States.

Was the first African-American man to receive an Emmy Award, with his first solo TV special "Tonight with Belafonte" (1959).

Awarded six Gold Records, Belafonte has received Grammy Awards for the albums "Swing That Hammer" (1960) and "An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba" (1965). The latter album featuring legendary African singer Miriam Makeba dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under apartheid.

His album "Midnight Special" (1962) featured the first-ever recorded appearance by a then young harmonica player named Bob Dylan.

Appeared on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) and performed a controversial "Mardi Gras" number with footage intercut from the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. CBS censors deleted the entire segment from the program.

In 1968, Belafonte appeared on a Petula Clark TV special on NBC. In the middle of a song, Clark smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm. The show's sponsor, Plymouth Motors, wanted to cut out the segment, but Clark, who had ownership of the special, told NBC that the performance would be shown intact or not at all. American newspapers published articles reporting the controversy and, when the special aired, it grabbed huge ratings.

In 1985, he was one of the organizers behind the Grammy Award winning song "We Are the World", a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa, and performed in the Live Aid concert that same year.

He was a Kennedy Center Honoree (1989), he was awarded the National Medal of Arts (1994), and he won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).

He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C. (1994).

Belafonte created controversy in October 2002 when he made disparaging remarks about then-President George W. Bush's African-American Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican. Powell refused to comment or to inflame the situation.

Father, with Julie Robinson, of Gina Belafonte and David Belafonte. The latter is executive director of the family-held company Belafonte Enterprises Inc. Father, with Marguerite Byrd (aka Marguerite Belafonte), of Shari Belafonte. Father-in-law of Sam Behrens and Scott McCray and Malena Belafonte. Has two grandchildren: Sarafina Belafonte (born 2003) and Amadeus Belafonte (born 2007).

A veteran critic of U.S. foreign policy, his controversial political statements on this subject have included opposing the U.S. embargo on Cuba, praising Soviet peace initiatives, attacking the U.S. invasion of Grenada, praising the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, honoring Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, praising Fidel Castro, and condemning President George W. Bush's administration and the Iraq War. In a Martin Luther King Day speech at Duke University in 2006, Belafonte compared the American government to the 9/11 terrorists.

Vocal, public supporter -- along with Susan Sarandon and Cynthia Nixon, among many other celebrities -- of Democrat Bill de Blasio for Mayor of New York City. De Blasio won that city's 2013 mayoral election.