Harry Belafonte grew up on the streets of Harlem and in Jamaica, his mother's birthplace. As a young man returning from Navy service in WWII, he began his successful acting career, and spearheaded the Calypso craze with a string of hits. He used his star clout to push the envelope for black actors, making several controversial films dealing with themes of racism.
In 1960 John F. Kennedy named him cultural advisor to the Peace Corps, but it was his involvement in the civil rights struggle in the United States that commanded his greatest involvement.
Harry met Dr. Martin Luther King in the early 1950's and became both an advisor and a friend. Dr. King would later say that, "Belafonte's global popularity and commitment to our cause is a key ingredient to the global struggle for freedom and a powerful tactical weapon in the civil rights movement in America."
In the 1980's he initiated the all-star We Are the World video, calling global attention to war and famine crises in Africa. As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, he was largely responsible for the successful campaign for the eradication of curable diseases among African children and also focused global attention to development in Southern Africa, particularly those victimized by the apartheid war.
He has been an outspoken critic of unjust U.S. policies, calling for an end to the embargo against Cuba, and boldly speaking against the policies of war and global oppression.