The life of Harry Belafonte

Brut America

He was working as a janitor in New York, when he was first introduced to theater.   Jamaican American pop star, history-making TV host, and civil rights advocate, this is the life of the "King of Calypso," Harry Belafonte.

Transcript

00:00I'm not a politician, I'm an artist.

00:02And I find that if my art is done well

00:06and is received by many people, that in itself is a contribution.

00:10Music

00:28I think anybody who has a celebrity platform

00:32that's immersed in the arts,

00:35I think one of the best things any of them, and all of them can do,

00:39is to find some aspect of human need

00:42and to commit themselves to becoming part of bettering our global humanity.

00:49Music

01:05Most of my family in the Caribbean, in Jamaica, were plantation workers.

01:35Music

02:01Singing

02:11Singing was a big part of the culture

02:13because it helped with the tediousness of working in the sun all day long.

02:18Music

02:26He was really, you know, one of the first multimedia stars

02:31and he had this crossover appeal.

02:35I think because he was in all these different media

02:38and because he was so handsome

02:41and, you know, really that could not be denied,

02:45we couldn't deny it black or white,

02:47that he was able to be this crossover star

02:50in a time when there was still legal segregation.

02:53Music

03:01It seems to me that Porgy and Bess has probably done more

03:04to increase sympathy for the colored people

03:06than anything since Uncle Tom's Cabin.

03:08Could you explain why you refused the part?

03:10First of all, I don't think that the Negro people in America

03:13are in need of sympathy.

03:15And secondly, when Porgy and Bess was first done,

03:19the time that it came about was historical

03:21and it was very important,

03:23and at that time it represented progress.

03:25I just feel that at this time it doesn't,

03:28the subject matter, dice and razors and lust and whatnot

03:32is not necessarily a subject matter

03:34that the Negro people in America need at this time.

03:37Music

03:45It is unfortunate that in America

03:47the idea of civil rights and civil liberties

03:49has to be popularized.

03:51Music

03:59Dr. King were really good friends.

04:01And so starting from the early 60s,

04:05he was an ambassador to the public at large

04:09to not only bring Dr. King's message,

04:13but to help him raise money

04:15and bring people into the movement.

04:18So he served that purpose.

04:20Music

04:35Johnny Carson had become the reigning late night host

04:41in terms of his popularity.

04:43And then television itself was still at a time

04:46when it was pretty segregated as well.

04:48Music

04:52He really was key to bringing both Black and white people

04:56into the civil rights movement.

04:58So having Harry on,

05:01and Harry insisted that he be able to choose his own guests,

05:06and Johnny granted him that,

05:07and we were in the middle of a year in 1968

05:10that was explosive to say the least.

05:13And so it was a big deal to have Harry on

05:16to give him basically free reign.

05:18Music

05:26Harry wanted to show what the world could be,

05:31that Black people and white people can sit,

05:35and indigenous people can sit on the couch

05:38and chop it up and laugh,

05:41and also talk about very serious things.

05:44Music

05:48We must go to the polls in 1984

05:52and tell Captain Reagan and his crew

05:55that the ship is in revolt.

05:57Music

06:05The conscience of the world

06:09is in great need of awakening

06:12to the crisis that exists in South Africa.

06:17Music

06:30I hope that the generations that come now

06:35would understand this

06:37and see the power of art

06:40that is liberated and is put in the service

06:43of social development

06:45and not just try to entertain.

06:48It's such a silly concept.

06:50Music

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