by William Dungate
Have you ever been to a sports game or event and heard “Daaaayyyyy-OOOOO” over the speakers? Well, if you have, you can credit one of the most successful Jamaican American pop artists of all time, Harry Belafonte. Taking a Trinbagonian-Caribbean approach to music, Belafonte rose to fame in the 1950s with his hit song, “The Banana Boat Song”. The song is known for its catchy and relaxing tune and the very loud and recognizable “Day-O” part. Belafonte’s breakthrough LP, Calypso was the first LP in the world to sell over 1 million copies within a year. His music spans a variety of styles, including blues, folk, and gospel. Throughout his career, he has released a total of 30 studio albums and eight live albums, all to widespread praise from music critics globally. He has won three Grammys Awards, one Tony Award, and an Emmy.
Belafonte’s career has not been limited to just music, however. He has starred in several films, starting with Bright Road (1953) and other films later like White Man’s Burden (1995) with John Travolta. His most recent movie performance was in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman (2018), as an elderly civil rights pioneer. While appearing in several interesting and popular movies, Belafonte experienced many issues with racial discrimination and stereotyping. This is likely what led to his increased role as a political activist in American society, as he became increasingly involved after being offered several stereotypical roles in the film industry. He began participating more actively in the Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1950s, and eventually became one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s best friends and confidants. He also financed many civil rights events like the Freedom Rides and bailed many civil rights protestors out of prison. He also focused on US foreign policy and international issues. For example, he was a leading voice in the Anti-Apartheid movement and was strongly against the US embargo on Cuba. In 2002, Belafonte took a hard-line stance against the George W. Bush administration and its actions in the US-Iraq war. He is also the celebrity ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Belafonte visited SUNY Geneseo on September 17, 1999. His visit was likely at an interesting time in his career, as he had recently finished his work on Kansas City (1996) and starred in the TV drama Swing Vote the same year he was at Geneseo. With most of his career behind him, Belafonte’s visit was likely a sight to see, as one of the most popular and beloved musicians of the 20th century.