Harry Belafonte was a renowned singer and actor who dedicated his life to civil rights activism. He started his career in the 1950s and released 30 studio albums over the years, while also starring in a number of television shows and films.
The singer passed away on April 25th, 2023 at the age of 96 from congestive heart failure. During his long and illustrious career, he was able to accumulate huge wealth. Here is everything we know about Harry Belafonte’s net worth and earnings.
Harry Belafonte Net Worth
Harry Belafonte had a net worth of $30 million at the time of his death in April 2023. However, the singer had an extremely humble background. He was born to Jamaican immigrant parents in 1927 and spent his formative years in Jamaica with his grandmother. He then moved to the US and served in the Navy after finishing school.
Belafonte then got interested in performing arts and started working with the American Negro Theater. He then took acting classes at the New School’s Dramatic Workshop. To pay for the classes, he started singing at local clubs in New York, which marked the beginning of his music career.
Singing and Acting Career
Belafonte’s breakthrough album, Calypso, came out in 1956 and became the first LP to sell over a million copies. The album featured the single Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) which became an international hit. The singer released 30 studio albums in his career, featuring a mix of calypso, folk, and various other musical genres.
Some of Belafonte’s most famous songs include Jump in the Line and Jamaica Farewell. His songs were praised for their melodies and powerful messages. The singer was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was also awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Not only a singer, but Belafonte was also an acclaimed actor. He made his film debut with Bright Road in 1953 and went on to appear in several films including Carmen Jones, Island in the Sun, and Buck and the Preacher. His television credits include The Harry Belafonte Show, The Muppet Show, That’s What I’m Talking About, and The Cosby Show.
Belafonte also had a successful stint on Broadway and won a Tony Award for his role in John Murray Anderson’s Almanac in 1954. He was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 1994 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2014.
Civil Rights Activism
Belafonte also made headlines for his work as a civil rights activist. He was a vocal advocate of social justice and equality for marginalized communities and wanted to bring about a change in the world with his humanitarian causes.
He worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr and also organized the March on Washington. In 1987, he was made a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. His activism is also reflected in his music as the songs We Are the Wave and Get an Ugly Girl to Marry You addressed the issues of discrimination and inequality.
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