Harry Belafonte was born in Harlem in 1927. Overwhelmed and intimidated by the tough streets and thinking the islands to be a safer place, his immigrant mother sent him back to the island of her birth, Jamaica. The island and all its variety became his cultural reservoir.

For doing repairs in an apartment (of Clarice Taylor and Maxwell Glanville), Belafonte was given, as his gratuity, a ticket to a production of HOME IS THE HUNTER at a community theater in Harlem - the American Negro Theatre (A.N.T.). The world that the theater opened up to him put Belafonte, for the first time, face to face with what would be his destiny - a life in the performing arts. The years that followed saw him simultaneously smash color barriers, and become one of the most awarded entertainers in our nations history.

He was awarded the first gold record in history for selling over 1 million LP’s for his RCA album "Calypso.” His first Broadway appearance in John Murray Anderson’s Almanac earned him the Tony Award. As the first black producer in television, he won an Emmy for his CBS production of “Tonight with Belafonte”. Then, the crowning achievement, in 2014, the Academy of Motion Pictures awarded him the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award thus earning him an EGOT accreditation. 

As an activist and social justice leader, Belafonte met a young Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his historic visit to New York in the early 50s. From that day until Dr. King’s assassination, Belafonte and King developed a deep and abiding friendship. Dr. King said of his friend, "Belafonte's global popularity and his commitment to our cause is a key ingredient to the global struggle for freedom and a powerful tactical weapon in the Civil Rights movement here in America. We are blessed by his courage and moral integrity."

Belafonte was also instrumental in bringing the music of Africa to the rest of the world including artists such as Hugh Maskela and Miriam Makeba with whom he won a GRAMMY Award for their 1965 joint album, “An Evening with Belafonte and Makeba.” 

Disturbed by war, drought, and famine in Africa, Belafonte, along with manager Ken Kragen guided and directed the project known as USA for Africa which spawned the all-star single, “We Are the World" recorded on January 28, 1985. 

Belafonte was also at the forefront of the movement to end the oppressive apartheid government of South Africa and strongly advocated for the release of his friend, Nelson Mandela after twenty-seven and a half years of incarceration. He was designated by the African National Congress to organize Mandela’s triumphant tour of America beginning with a ticker tape parade up Broadway in June 1990.

Harry Belafonte has been honored many times by such diverse groups as the American Jewish Congress, the NAACP, the City of Hope, Fight for Sight, The Urban League, The National Conference of Black Mayors, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, the ACLU, the State Department, the Boy Scouts of America, Hadassah International and the Peace Corps. He was the first recipient of the Nelson Mandela Courage Award and was honored at the White House with the 1994 National Medal of Arts from President Clinton for his contributions to our nation's cultural life. He has received honorary degrees from Spellman College in Atlanta, Tufts University, Bard College, Doctor of Humane Letters from Columbia University and many others. He was the 2013 recipient of the Spingarn Medal, the most prestigious award bestowed by the NAACP. In 2017, the Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library was dedicated, which is located one block from where he grew up in Harlem.

In 2021, Belafonte was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by decree of the President of the Republic of France. The award was presented by Ambassador Philippe Etienne during a private ceremony in New York City.  The Order of the Legion of Honor is the highest award bestowed by the French government. 

His final honor was being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November 2022 when he received the Early Influence Award. This award is given to artists whose music and performance style have directly influenced, inspired, and evolved rock & roll and music impacting youth culture.