#mixed men

Today we lost a legend. #HarryBelafonte was a #mixed #American singer, actor & activist, who popularized calypso with international audiences in the 50s. His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first million-selling LP by a single artist. He was best known for his recordings of "The Banana Boat Song", with its signature "Day-O" lyric, "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)" & others. He recorded & performed in many genres, like blues, folk, gospel, show tunes & American standards. He starred in several films, including Carmen Jones with #DorothyDandridge (1954), Island in the Sun (1957) & Odds Against Tomorrow (1959).

He was born on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, the son of #Martiniquean born father, Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., who worked as a chef & #Jamaican born Melvine (née Love), a housekeeper. Both of his parents were mixed. His mother was #Scottish & #AfroJamaican. His father was #BlackAmerican & #DutchJewish with #SephardicJewish descent.

Growing up, Harry dealt with hostility, racism & discrimination; sometimes it came from his own home. His family lived in a mostly White neighborhood which subjected him to bullies, his family was in poverty & to make matters worse, Harry Sr. was hostile with his wife & showed favoritism toward Harry's younger brother, Dennis, because he was lighter skinned. His father was a #colorist & had marked caste ideals. When he was 6, his father ran off with a White woman, leaving them to fend on their own. This left quite a void as well as anger, confusion about his identity & loneliness.

Fortunately, his mother raised him with dignity & care & was the total opposite of Harry Sr. but when the bullying at school turned into fighting & joining a gang, his mother moved them to Jamaica. She hoped a new environment would help Harry but unfortunately his relatives had the same ideals as his father, the #British culture was different & he was homesick. If it weren't for calypso, he would have had a different end. After school, he joined the Navy during WWII but when he had the chance to see the American Negro Theater, he found his passion.