Harry Belafonte
Some voices confront you.
Others invite you closer.
Harry Belafonte did both.
By the late 1950s, his records were topping the charts and sold-out crowds filled theaters across the country. The press dubbed him the “King of Calypso,” a title that spoke less to royalty and more to reach. Fame gave him something more useful than applause. It gave him leverage.
Behind the scenes, Belafonte helped fund the work. He supported the Freedom Rides, raised bail money, and quietly bankrolled organizing efforts, working closely with movement leaders when the cameras weren’t around.
The songs sounded easy. Warm. Familiar.
The work was anything but.
Tonight leans into that warmth. Music that feels light on its feet, even when the history underneath it isn’t.
Day-O (Banana Boat Song):
Jamaica Farewell:
Matilda:
Try to Remember:
Turn the World Around:
This is an open thread
