He was working as a janitor in New York, when he was first introduced to theater.
Jamaican American pop star, history-making TV host, and civil rights advocate, this is the life of the "King of Calypso," Harry Belafonte.
Jamaican American pop star, history-making TV host, and civil rights advocate, this is the life of the "King of Calypso," Harry Belafonte.
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00:00I'm not a politician, I'm an artist.
00:02And I find that if my art is done well
00:06and is received by many people, that in itself is a contribution.
00:10Music
00:28I think anybody who has a celebrity platform
00:32that's immersed in the arts,
00:35I think one of the best things any of them, and all of them can do,
00:39is to find some aspect of human need
00:42and to commit themselves to becoming part of bettering our global humanity.
00:49Music
01:05Most of my family in the Caribbean, in Jamaica, were plantation workers.
01:35Music
02:01Singing
02:11Singing was a big part of the culture
02:13because it helped with the tediousness of working in the sun all day long.
02:18Music
02:26He was really, you know, one of the first multimedia stars
02:31and he had this crossover appeal.
02:35I think because he was in all these different media
02:38and because he was so handsome
02:41and, you know, really that could not be denied,
02:45we couldn't deny it black or white,
02:47that he was able to be this crossover star
02:50in a time when there was still legal segregation.
02:53Music
03:01It seems to me that Porgy and Bess has probably done more
03:04to increase sympathy for the colored people
03:06than anything since Uncle Tom's Cabin.
03:08Could you explain why you refused the part?
03:10First of all, I don't think that the Negro people in America
03:13are in need of sympathy.
03:15And secondly, when Porgy and Bess was first done,
03:19the time that it came about was historical
03:21and it was very important,
03:23and at that time it represented progress.
03:25I just feel that at this time it doesn't,
03:28the subject matter, dice and razors and lust and whatnot
03:32is not necessarily a subject matter
03:34that the Negro people in America need at this time.
03:37Music
03:45It is unfortunate that in America
03:47the idea of civil rights and civil liberties
03:49has to be popularized.
03:51Music
03:59Dr. King were really good friends.
04:01And so starting from the early 60s,
04:05he was an ambassador to the public at large
04:09to not only bring Dr. King's message,
04:13but to help him raise money
04:15and bring people into the movement.
04:18So he served that purpose.
04:20Music
04:35Johnny Carson had become the reigning late night host
04:41in terms of his popularity.
04:43And then television itself was still at a time
04:46when it was pretty segregated as well.
04:48Music
04:52He really was key to bringing both Black and white people
04:56into the civil rights movement.
04:58So having Harry on,
05:01and Harry insisted that he be able to choose his own guests,
05:06and Johnny granted him that,
05:07and we were in the middle of a year in 1968
05:10that was explosive to say the least.
05:13And so it was a big deal to have Harry on
05:16to give him basically free reign.
05:18Music
05:26Harry wanted to show what the world could be,
05:31that Black people and white people can sit,
05:35and indigenous people can sit on the couch
05:38and chop it up and laugh,
05:41and also talk about very serious things.
05:44Music
05:48We must go to the polls in 1984
05:52and tell Captain Reagan and his crew
05:55that the ship is in revolt.
05:57Music
06:05The conscience of the world
06:09is in great need of awakening
06:12to the crisis that exists in South Africa.
06:17Music
06:30I hope that the generations that come now
06:35would understand this
06:37and see the power of art
06:40that is liberated and is put in the service
06:43of social development
06:45and not just try to entertain.
06:48It's such a silly concept.
06:50Music