A Tribute to Harry Belafonte (1927-2023) ~ Entertainer, Activist, and Humanitarian

Harry Belafonte passed away, on April 25, 2023, at the age of 96. He left an indelible mark in the history and the heart of America.

“I think America offers a dream that cannot be fulfilled as easily anywhere else in the world as it could be fulfilled here. …” ~ Harry Belafonte

• If you were preparing a list of iconic and legendary American entertainers, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of notable civil rights activists in America, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of humanitarians worthy of double honor for their good works, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.

Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. known to the world as Harry Belafonte is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, actor, activist, and humanitarian. Date of Birth March 1, 1927 — Date of Death April 25, 2023. Cause of death: Congestive heart failure.

Americans from my generation (50s, 60s, and 70s) know Harry Belafonte. We know the lyrics to the Banana Boat and Matilda songs, backward and forward. Several years back (1997) there was a special program on television — “An Evening With Harry Belafonte & Friends” — where he sang many songs accompanied by fabulous singers and musicians. He performed Banana Boat and Matilda. I’m sure he knew that if he had not sung those songs, the audience would have been very disappointed.

Mr. Belafonte is known for his singing, and also for the memorable roles he has played in several films like “Carmen Jones” (1954), and “Island in the Sun” (1957). He has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

In addition to knowing him as an extremely talented triple threat, i.e. he can sing, dance and act — we also know him to be a civil rights activist and a humanitarian, involved in many good works.

Giving honor where honor is due, one person referred to Mr. Belafonte as “living history”. While he was alive, you did not have to read historical events in a book because you could just talk to him since he was alive during the time and actively participated in history-making.

Mr. Belafonte has passed from living to legend now. He was almost a centenarian; age 96.

“If I’ve impacted on one heart, one mind, one soul, and brought to that individual a greater truth than that individual came into a relationship with me having, then I would say that I have been successful.” ~ Harry Belafonte

IN MEMORY OF: Harry Belafonte (1927–2023)

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I hope that his amazing talent, his fight for human rights, and his selfless charitable acts will be appreciated and remembered by Americans for generations to come.

Original Source

How to watch and stream Harry Belafonte movies

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Michael Jackson was so much more than an eclectic and consummate entertainer. He was an extremely generous humanitarian and would no doubt like for people to remember his love and genuine care and concern for children.

“HEAL THE KIDS” SPEECH at OXFORD UNIVERSITY 2001(Excerpt):

As you all know, our two countries broke from each other over what Thomas Jefferson referred to as “certain inalienable rights”. And while we Americans and British might dispute the justice of his claims, what has never been in dispute is that children have certain inalienable rights, and the gradual erosion of those rights has led to scores of children worldwide being denied the joys and security of childhood. I would therefore like to propose tonight that we install in every home a Children’s Universal Bill of Rights, the tenets of which are:

1. The right to be loved without having to earn it

2. The right to be protected, without having to deserve it

3. The right to feel valuable, even if you came into the world with nothing

4. The right to be listened to without having to be interesting

5. The right to be read a bedtime story, without having to compete with the evening news

6. The right to an education without having to dodge bullets at schools

7. The right to be thought of as adorable – (even if you have a face that only a mother could love).

Entertainment: Music: Throwback: Joe Cocker (1944 - 2014)

I was a part of the Google Plus social network for a few years.  But then Google shut down its network.  When it was alive, one of the fun things people liked to do was called "Throwback" OR "Throwback Thursday". It was so much fun. People shared stuff from back in the day. Usually, my shares were YouTube videos.

In Memory Of:

* Joe Cocker (1944 - 2014)

FYI. Definition of “throwback” from the Urban Dictionary.

20th Century Masters:

 The Millennium Collection: Best Of Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker - #MadDogWithSoul https://t.co/qXKycFemDi Everybody is praising this #documentary as a #treasure. It's a perfect gift for a #JoeCocker fan. #giftsunder10 #entertainement #music #musiclovers #inmemoriam * Joe Cocker (1944 - 2014) <3 @goshoppingbees pic.twitter.com/ecqqNRkOGz

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) (@cmoneyspinner) February 20, 2020

Entertainment: Music: Throwback: Joe Cocker (1944 - 2014) https://t.co/4mnZbB9n5s via @cmoneyspinner #giftsformusiclovers #ThrowbackThursday #MadDogWithSoul #JoeCocker * 20th Century Masters * pic.twitter.com/Rk2UE6HNew

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) February 20, 2020

No Coffins – Organic Burial Pods = Recycling's Finest Hour (Reblog)

Organic Burial Pods???!! 

I am so on board with this concept!!  

Isn’t everyone??

I mean … a Jew or Christian surely can’t object. 

It’s totally scriptural.  :)

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” 

Genesis 3:19

Forget Coffins – Organic Burial Pods Will Turn Your Loved Ones Into Trees | Bored Panda (Reblog)

Forget Coffins - Organic Burial Pods Will Turn Your Loved Ones Into Trees

The idea of coming full circle and returning whence we came is captured perfectly by this beautiful new burial method developed in Italy. The Capsula Mundi project by designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel has developed an organic, biodegradable burial capsule that will turn the deceased's body into nutrients for a tree that will grow out of their remains.

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Similar links of interest:

Trees Deserve Respect

Ailanthus altissima is an ornamental tree grown mainly for shade and also for its leaves which the silkworm feeds on. Sounds prettier when it is called by its unscientific name: "tree of heaven". The acacia thrives in the wilderness of Paran (the location of several historic events in the Bible).

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African Baobab Tree

The baobab tree (adansonia) is the national tree of Madagascar and has been called the tree of life (although I personally believe that any tree on the planet can be called a tree of life**).

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Sam Van Aken's Tree of 40 Fruit

So the voice in my head says: 'Why are there so many different trees? There should be one tree that bears all of my favorite fruit! Why does there have to be an apple tree, an orange tree, a mango tree, etc.?' OK. There was no voice in my head that said that.

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Trees Have Benefits

This article briefly touches upon a selection of trees chosen for two reasons. (1) To highlight and emphasize the contributions made by trees to sustain our life force. (2) Because these particular woody plants have interesting history associated with them that can be gleaned from the Bible and it makes for interesting reading.

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Honoring John Glenn (1921 - 2016) AND His Wife Annie Glenn (1920 - 2020)

This post was first published at this blog in 2016. (content below the “***”.) It is being reposted to honor the widow of John Glenn. She was one of the victims of COVI-19. She lived to be 100 years old and left a legacy of her own. 

+ In Memory of Annie Glenn (1920 – 2020)

Annie Glenn, advocate for people with disabilities and wife of 73 years to former Ohio Senator and astronaut John Glenn has died at age 100, a spokesperson with the John Glen…​ https://t.co/dMshGFfJPO

— FOX4 News (@fox4kc) May 19, 2020

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Published this blog post November 2014.

Americans Love Their Firsts

An American "first" was NOT on that list.  I did not realize my significant omission until today when it was announced on the radio that this prominent citizen has departed.

• John Glenn, first American astronaut to orbit the earth.

Adding this fact on to my previous blog post about "firsts" and sharing some additional info below. 

 

http://foxnet2017.tumblr.com/post/154228894581/life-john-glenn-the-first-american-astronaut

We remember American legend Sen. John Glenn. Statement from our Administrator Charles Bolden on Glenn's passing: https://t.co/xkmGSjLnOO pic.twitter.com/x63ZAvNUhm

— NASA (@NASA) December 8, 2016

#OTD in 1962, John Glenn met with President Kennedy in the Oval Office. Fifteen days later, he would be the first American to orbit the earth. More photos: https://t.co/aeaAqfpkhN pic.twitter.com/3aPyzeQzNe

— JFK Library (@JFKLibrary) February 5, 2019

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Entertainment: Music: Throwback: Randy Crawford ~ Everything Must Change

"Everything Must Change" is a timeless classic. - In life, everybody sings this song, if they live.

"Everything Must Change" is one of those songs that if an artist dares to mess this up when performing it, there will be no forgiveness for sins. Nope!! The song police will be called by me and I will demand that they are arrested! STOPPED!!!

* Randy Crawford – who could never sing any song in a way that would displease anybody – sang this song and stamped it in my memory. Nobody has a voice like this woman.

* My husband found a rendition by the late but still awesomely great Nina Simone.

* Found a duet performance with the inimitably soulful Chaka Khan and unquestionably soulful Simply Red.

They can all relax. Will not have to call the song police for any of them.

• IN MEMORY OF:  Nina Simone (1933 – 2003)

Related articles

• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame names its Class of 2018, from Bon Jovi to Nina Simone(mashable.com)

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Entertainment: Music: Throwback: Randy Crawford ~ Everything Must Change https://t.co/uuPe5YXkV9 via @cmoneyspinner #giftsformusiclovers https://t.co/n2yPcRu6H5 #ThrowBackThursay pic.twitter.com/r5acwlOVZi

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) February 20, 2020

Entertainment: 10 Best Performances Of Alan Rickman - List.ly (Slideshow)

Found this wonderful list of the “10 Best Performances Of Alan Rickman”. Sharing this in memory of Mr. Rickman (1946 -2016).

10 Best Performances Of Alan Rickman

View more lists from Rajashri Venkatesh

Celebrities : In Memory Of: Bob Marley, Reggae Music Legend (1945 - 1981) | Music

NOTE:  Apologies.  Sites where content was published no longer exists.  All broken links have been removed from this post.

Just published this quick tribute. Adding to my collection of Marley bio tidbits.

Celebrities : In Memory Of: Bob Marley, Reggae Music Legend (1945 - 1981)

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~ 36 years ago today, on May 11, 1981, singer/songwriter and reggae music legend, Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM (Feb 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981), died of cancer in a hospital in Miami, Florida. …

Celebrities : In Memory Of: Bob Marley, Reggae Music Legend (1945 – 1981)

~ February 6th was the singer's birthday. ... May 11th, the anniversary of Mr. Marley's death, ... remembrance. …

Bob Marley - Rastaman Trivia 2

~ by frugalrvers : Most of the world now knows what the genre of reggae is in music, mostly thanks to one man: Bob Marley. …

Myths & Facts: Bob Marley Cause Of Death, His Life And More

~ ... It's great to have musicians and players of instruments around us. …

The I-Threes: The Golden Voices Behind Bob Marley

~ BOB MARLEY: His words and prophecies through his music are taking place.  A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article captioned "Is Belgium's Royal Family Proud Of The Horrible Crime Leopold II Committed In Africa?" ...

Understanding The Background Of The Wisdom Of Bob Marley

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Related articles

• How exactly can music affect us? (7 Photos)(thechive.com)

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Music Legend and Icon David Bowie Has Departed

Hello! Thanks for visiting. We apologize for the inconvenience but this content has been republished at our partner blog.  

• Enjoying Some Quality ME Time With Movies, Music and Books

Relive poignant, defining or memorable moments of 2014 via Twitter and Tumblr

For me 2014 has been a fabulous year.  Received and eMail today to Relive poignant, defining or memorable moments of 2014 via Twitter. Selected these two moments and specific tweets IN MEMORY OF people I admired and appreciated who left us this year. Searched Tumblr to see if there were any artistic expressions which captured their light, their personality, their life!  What an inspiration!

RE: Maya Angelou (1928 - 2014)

Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell)

Saddened by the news of Maya Angelou's passing. A brilliant woman who contributed so much to the world. Her light will be sorely missed.
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) May 28, 2014

Maya Angelou by Komi Olafimihan | Found at Black Women Art (BWA) on Tumblr

http://blkwomenart.com/post/102623446513/maya-angelou-by-komi-olafimihan

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Robin Williams art found at ASHLEY'S DALLIES& DOOBLES (ashleycassaday.tumblr.com)

glitter-graphics.com