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115-562: In 1967, he became the principal founder and first president of Vietnam Veterans Against the War . American poet and scholar W. D. Ehrhart described Barry as an integral figure to Vietnam veterans' poetry , "not only for his own pioneering poems, but especially for his tireless efforts to encourage and promote the work of others". Other literary figures who commended Barry's works include Eleanor Wilner , Herbert Mitgang , Peter S. Prescott , and John Felstiner . On January 26, 1943, Jan Barry Crumb

230-513: A Hole in My Bucket " that hit the national charts in 1961. Belafonte was the first Jamaican American to win an Emmy , for Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte (1959). Two live albums, both recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1959 and 1960, enjoyed critical and commercial success. From his 1959 album, " Hava Nagila " became part of his regular routine and one of his signature songs. He was one of many entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at

345-641: A bank robber uncomfortably teamed with a racist partner ( Robert Ryan ). Belafonte also co-starred with Inger Stevens in The World, the Flesh and the Devil . Belafonte was offered the role of Porgy in Preminger's Porgy and Bess , where he would have once again starred opposite Dandridge, but refused the role because he objected to its racial stereotyping ; Sidney Poitier played the role instead. Dissatisfied with most of

460-552: A children's choir. Belafonte starred in numerous films. His first film role was in Bright Road (1953), in which he supported female lead Dorothy Dandridge . The two subsequently starred in Otto Preminger 's hit musical Carmen Jones (1954). Ironically, Belafonte's singing in the film was dubbed by an opera singer, as was Dandridge's, both voices being deemed unsuitable for their roles. Realizing his own star power, Belafonte

575-697: A claim of 20,000 members for 1971. The organization has claimed a peak membership of over 30,000. Counting non-veteran supporters, VVAW had "roughly 50,000" members. By 1972, negotiations at the Paris peace talks were in full swing, signaling the beginning of the end of the war, meaning the end of VVAW's primary mission. Membership in the organization declined, and the leadership began to consider broader purposes to support veterans. Membership requirements were relaxed, and political differences arose as new members fought with old about direction. By 1973 VVAW had several thousand members. With internal struggles still threatening

690-408: A controversial Mardi Gras number intercut with footage from the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. CBS censors deleted the segment. The full unedited content was broadcast in 1993 as part of a complete Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour syndication package. In the 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon , notable Black athlete Jackie Robinson advocated his support for

805-528: A country that did not seem to want to fight for him. A short time after the confrontation, Belafonte spoke with Kennedy. Belafonte then told him that even with the meeting's tension, he needed to be in the presence of a man like Smith to understand Black people's frustration with patriotism that Kennedy and other leaders could not understand. In the 1950s, Belafonte was a supporter of the African American Students Foundation, which gave

920-649: A discouraging atmosphere for dissent that lasted through most of 1969". According to VVAW, its founders organized discussions for veterans on readjustment issues in 1970. This was a predecessor to readjustment counselling at modern Vet Centers. The group helped draft legislation for education and job programs, and assisted veterans with post-war health care through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital system, including assisting victims of Agent Orange and other chemical agents. The VVAW advocated amnesty for war resisters . Its insignia

1035-629: A documentary detailing the 1975 lawsuit in which Barry had been a reporter. In 2013, Barry took part in a reading and discussion at Hendrix College in Arkansas. In 2021, he appeared in American director Talia Lugacy 's film This Is Not a War Story (2021). Vietnam Veterans Against the War Vietnam Veterans Against the War ( VVAW ) is an American tax-exempt non-profit organization and corporation founded in 1967 to oppose

1150-920: A fund-raising party for the veterans. During the party it was announced that Chief Justice Warren Burger of the United States Supreme Court had reversed the decision of the Court of Appeals and reinstated the injunction. The veterans were given until 4:30 the following afternoon to break camp and leave the National Mall. This was the fastest reversal of an Appeals Court decision in the Supreme Court's history. On April 21, more than 50 veterans marched to The Pentagon , attempting to surrender as war criminals. A Pentagon spokesman took their names and turned them away. Veterans continued to meet with and lobby their congressional representatives. Senator Ted Kennedy spent

1265-601: A grant to Barack Obama Sr. , the late father of 44th U.S. president Barack Obama , to study at the University of Hawaii in 1959. In 2011, Belafonte commented on the Obama administration and the role that popular opinion played in shaping its policies. "I think [Obama] plays the game that he plays because he sees no threat from evidencing concerns for the poor." On December 9, 2012, in an interview with Al Sharpton on MSNBC , Belafonte expressed dismay that many political leaders in

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1380-498: A janitor's assistant, during which a tenant gave him, as a gratuity, two tickets to see the American Negro Theater . He fell in love with the art form and befriended Sidney Poitier , who was also financially struggling. They regularly purchased a single seat to local plays, trading places in between acts, after informing the other about the progression of the play. At the end of the 1940s, Belafonte took classes in acting at

1495-710: A keen interest in folk music , learning material through the Library of Congress ' American folk songs archives. Along with guitarist and friend Millard Thomas, Belafonte soon made his debut at the legendary jazz club The Village Vanguard . He signed a contract with RCA Victor in 1953, recording regularly for the label until 1974. Belafonte also performed during the Rat Pack era in Las Vegas . Belafonte's first widely released single, which went on to become his "signature" audience participation song in virtually all his live performances,

1610-475: A lengthy recording hiatus, An Evening with Harry Belafonte and Friends , a soundtrack and video of a televised concert, were released in 1997 by Island Records . The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music , a huge multi-artist project recorded by RCA during the 1960s and 1970s, was finally released by the label in 2001. Belafonte went on the Today Show to promote the album on September 11, 2001, and

1725-476: A letter to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara at The Pentagon . Barry expected to be berated or called back to active duty, but he received no response. After resigning from his military career, Barry became inspired by civil rights demonstrations, including the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches . He lived in New Jersey initially, working for The Bergen Record newspaper. Moving to Manhattan in 1967, he worked in

1840-603: A press conference announcing his opposition to the war. Rogers had been a chaplain's assistant at the 1st Logistical Command at Cam Ranh Bay from 1966 to 1967. Barry telephoned Rogers immediately, after which the two became collaborators and lifelong friends. Barry convinced Rogers to join VVAW, after which Rogers would serve as its vice president. According to Andrew Hunt , Rogers "marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr., appeared on numerous radio and television programs, and became

1955-596: A sit-in, engaging with a Georgia judge. Joining the Hollywood for Kennedy committee, Belafonte appeared in a 1960 campaign commercial for Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy . Unfortunately, the commercial was shown on television for one broadcasting. Belafonte also attended and performed at Kennedy's inaugural ball . Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural advisor to the Peace Corps . After Kennedy's assassination , Belafonte supported Lyndon B. Johnson for

2070-435: A time when the mainstream media was wholeheartedly...promoting the war." This group likely comprised 24-year-old Jan Barry, Ron Kovic , Skip Delano, photographer Sheldon Ramsdell, and former Black Panther Al Hubbard (whom Barry described as ). Other early members included David Braum, John Talbot, Art Blank, Steve Greene, Frank "Rocky" Rocks, and Stan Scholl. The same year, 24-year-old veteran Carl Douglas Rogers held

2185-507: A tour as part of the 18th Aviation Company in Vietnam. Upon his return to the U.S., he attended the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School and was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point . After the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident , Barry found himself "disgusted" by the escalation of American presence in Vietnam. He resigned from West Point in November 1964, returned to active duty and

2300-474: A two-page polite dissenting letter to the editor , in response to a New York Times war dispatch that he felt incited outrage. Barry received a two-page reply in which the editor defended the war policy. After this, Barry sent his war medals with a "furious letter of protest" to New York senator Robert F. Kennedy ; he received an unsigned letter returning the medals and stating that Kennedy could not accept them. The same occurred upon Barry mailing his medals and

2415-413: Is wrong, unjustifiable and contrary to the principles on which this country was founded. We join the dissent of the millions of Americans against this war. We support our buddies still in Vietnam. We want them home alive. We want them home now. We want to prevent any other young men from being sent to Vietnam. We want to end the war now. We believe this is the highest form of patriotism. Beginning in 1968,

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2530-573: The 1963 March on Washington —the site of King's famous " I Have a Dream" Speech. He provided for King's family since King earned only $ 8,000 ($ 80,000 in today's money) a year as a preacher. As with many other civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted during the McCarthy era . During the 1963 Birmingham campaign , Belafonte bailed King out of the Birmingham, Alabama jail and raised $ 50,000 to release other civil rights protesters. He contributed to

2645-1085: The 1964 United States presidential election . Renowned author James Baldwin contacted Belafonte three years after John F. Kennedy's election. The purpose of the call was to invite Belafonte to a meeting to speak with Attorney General Robert Kennedy about the continued plight of the Black people in America. This event was known as the Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting . Belafonte met with fifteen others, including Kennedy and Baldwin, in Kennedy's Central Park South apartment on May 24, 1963. The other members included were Thais Aubrey, David Baldwin, Edwin Berry, Kenneth Clark , Eddie Fales, Lorraine Hansberry , Lena Horne, Clarence Jones , Burke Marshall , Henry Morgenthau III , June Shagaloff , Jerome Smith, and Rip Torn . The guests engaged in cordial political and social conversation. Later,

2760-682: The American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile justice issues. He was also a vocal critic of the policies of the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations. Belafonte won three Grammy Awards , including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , an Emmy Award , and a Tony Award . In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors . He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received

2875-682: The Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City with the influential German director Erwin Piscator alongside Marlon Brando , Tony Curtis , Walter Matthau , Bea Arthur , and Poitier, while performing with the American Negro Theater. He subsequently received a Tony Award for his participation in the Broadway revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1954). He also starred in

2990-773: The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category. He is one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) , although he won the Oscar in a non-competitive category. Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. on March 1, 1927, at Lying-in Hospital in Harlem , New York,

3105-586: The National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam staged an improvised anti-war demonstration in New York City titled Spring Mobilization to End the War. The march went from Central Park to the United Nations , with over 400,000 attendees. Speakers included Martin Luther King Jr. , Harry Belafonte , James Bevel , and Dr. Benjamin Spock . During this march, about 20 veterans of

3220-770: The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in the TV drama Swing Vote (1999). In 2006, Belafonte appeared in Bobby , Emilio Estevez 's ensemble drama about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy ; he played Nelson, a friend of an employee of the Ambassador Hotel ( Anthony Hopkins ). His final film appearance

3335-504: The Vietnam War gathered under an impromptu banner reading 'Vietnam Veterans Against the War.' This group included poet and author Jan Barry ( a.k.a. Jan Barry Crumb), a West Point dropout who had served in the war as a radio specialist in an Army unit of a fixed-wing supply aircraft. On June 1, 1967, six veterans met in Jan Barry's apartment to found a new anti-war organization, "at

3450-497: The inaugural gala of President John F. Kennedy in 1961, which included Ella Fitzgerald and Mahalia Jackson , among others. Later that year, RCA Victor released another calypso album, Jump Up Calypso , which went on to become another million seller. During the 1960s he introduced several artists to U.S. audiences, most notably South African singer Miriam Makeba and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri . His album Midnight Special (1962) included Bob Dylan as harmonica player. As

3565-490: The "large contingent of veterans", but they "scattered into the crowd" at the conclusion of the march. It took a month and a half for Barry to track down veterans to form an organization based on the banner they held. On June 1, 1967, Barry invited five of these veterans to his apartment to found a new anti-war organization. He became its president, and scouted new members, including Carl Douglas Rogers , whom he telephoned following Rogers's press conference denouncing his time in

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3680-623: The 1950s to the 2000s. His last concert was a benefit concert for the Atlanta Opera on October 25, 2003. In a 2007 interview, he stated that he had since retired from performing. On January 29, 2013, Belafonte was the keynote speaker and 2013 honoree for the MLK Celebration Series at the Rhode Island School of Design . Belafonte used his career and experiences with Dr. King to speak on the role of artists as activists. Belafonte

3795-595: The 1955 Broadway revue 3 for Tonight with Gower Champion . Belafonte started his career in music as a club singer in New York to pay for his acting classes. The first time he appeared in front of an audience, he was backed by the Charlie Parker band, which included Charlie Parker , Max Roach , and Miles Davis , among others. He launched his recording career as a pop singer on the Roost label in 1949, but quickly developed

3910-568: The 1960s civil rights movement , though its members are not necessarily pacifists or civil rights activists. Membership has varied greatly, from almost 25,000 veterans during the height of the war to fewer than 2,000 since the late 20th century. The VVAW is widely considered to be among the most influential anti-war organizations of the American Vietnam War era. The group originated as a slogan carried by protestors during New York City's 1967 Spring Mobilization march. On April 15, 1967,

4025-527: The 1961 Freedom Rides , and supported voter registration drives He later recalled, "Paul Robeson had been my first great formative influence; you might say he gave me my backbone. Martin King was the second; he nourished my soul." Throughout his career, Belafonte was an advocate for political and humanitarian causes, such as the Anti-Apartheid Movement and USA for Africa . From 1987 until his death, he

4140-776: The 2005 official hymnal supplement of the Unitarian Universalist Association , Singing the Journey . From 1979 to 1989, Belafonte served on the Royal Winnipeg Ballet 's board of directors. In December 1984, soon after Band Aid , a group of popular British and Irish artists, released Do They Know It's Christmas? Belafonte decided to create an American benefit single for African famine relief. With fundraiser Ken Kragen , he enlisted Lionel Richie , Kenny Rogers , Stevie Wonder , Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson , The song they produced and recorded, " We Are

4255-601: The American South from 1954 until 1961. Belafonte gave the keynote address at the ACLU of Northern California's annual Bill of Rights Day Celebration In December 2007 and was awarded the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured the documentary film Sing Your Song , a biographical film focusing on Belafonte's contribution to and his leadership in

4370-592: The Americans brought medicine and candy." I believe there is something in all of us that would wave a flag for the dream of an America that brings medicine and candy, but we are gathered here today, waving no flags, in the ruins of that dream. Some of you saw right away the evil of what was going on; others of us one by one, adding and re-adding the balance sheet of what was happening and what could possibly be accomplished finally saw that no goal could be so laudable, or defense so necessary, as to justify what we have visited upon

4485-605: The April 11, 1971 New York Times . In May 1971, the VVAW and former Army chaplain Reverend Jackson Day conducted a service for veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center . Patients were brought into the chapel in wheelchairs. The service included time for individual prayers or public confession, and many veterans took the floor to recount things they had done or seen for which they felt guilt or anger. This

4600-579: The Beatles and other stars from Britain began to dominate the U.S. pop charts, Belafonte's commercial success diminished; 1964's Belafonte at The Greek Theatre was his last album to appear in Billboard ' s Top 40. His last hit single, "A Strange Song", was released in 1967 and peaked at number 5 on the adult contemporary music charts. Belafonte received Grammy Awards for the albums Swing Dat Hammer (1960) and An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba (1965),

4715-541: The Congressional Record by Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR). In 1972, VVAW continued antiwar protests, and released Winter Soldier , a 16mm black-and-white documentary film showing participants giving testimony at the 1971 hearing, as well as footage of the Dewey Canyon III week of protest events. This film is on limited distribution and is available on DVD. This peaceful anti-war protest organized by VVAW

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4830-550: The Doors , the 5th Dimension , the Who , and Janis Joplin . From February 5 to 9, 1968, Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show substituting for Johnny Carson . Among his interview guests were Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy . Belafonte's fifth and final calypso album, Calypso Carnival , was issued by RCA in 1971. Belafonte's recording activity slowed down after releasing his final album for RCA in 1974. From

4945-855: The EPA". This culminated in Mann V. Ford, a documentary film about the Ramapough Lenape Tribe's lawsuit of the Ford Motor Company . His poems were published in The New York Times , A People and A Nation: A History of the United States (1983), and Winning Hearts and Minds: War Poems by Vietnam Veterans (1972). In 2003, the Silurians Press Club awarded Barry with the Community Service Award. In 2011, he appeared in Mann V. Ford ,

5060-538: The Justice Department lawyers for requesting the court order and then not enforcing it. Veterans staged a candlelight march around the White House, while carrying a huge American flag upside down in the historic international signal of distress. On Friday, April 23, more than 800 veterans individually tossed their medals, ribbons, discharge papers, and other war mementos on the steps of the U.S. Capitol , rejecting

5175-662: The Labor Day weekend of September 4–7, 1970, Operation RAW ("Rapid American Withdrawal") took place. It was a three-day protest march from Morristown, New Jersey , to Valley Forge State Park in Pennsylvania by over 200 veterans. They were joined by members of "Nurses for Peace", MAN - Making a Nation and other peace groups. The march was designed to dramatize a Vietnam-type search and destroy mission as they passed through various towns including Bernardsville , Far Hills , Lamington and Whitehouse Station . Upon entering each town along

5290-446: The Lincoln Memorial Bridge to the Arlington National Cemetery gate, just beneath the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier . Reverend Jackson H. Day, who had a few days earlier resigned his military chaplainship, conducted a memorial service for their fellows. He said: Maybe there are some others here like me—who wanted desperately to believe that what we were doing was acceptable, who hung on the words of "revolutionary development" and "winning

5405-414: The New York Public Library's main branch as a file clerk. In March 1967, Barry heard his coworkers discussing an April demonstration to be held outside of the United Nations. During this demonstration, Barry met peace activist, stage director, and founder of Eccentric Circles Theatre , Paula Kay Pierce. The National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam 's anti-war demonstration in New York City

5520-417: The Nixon campaign. His reasoning for doing so was his perception of Kennedy's championing of the Civil Rights movement as disingenuous. Because of Robinson's social impact on Black Americans, the Democratic Party was determined to find a comparable Black endorser for Kennedy's campaign. Fresh off of his win as the first Black man to receive an Emmy Award for his work on Tonight with Belafonte , Belafonte

5635-400: The Revolutionary Union. A reconstituted group of non Marxist members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War filed and won a lawsuit prohibiting the RU dominated group from using the VVAW name, logos and materials. The RU group organization was renamed Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist (VVAW-AI). Deep animosity still exists between the two organizations. VVAW has survived

5750-527: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on proposals to end the war. Other veterans, still angry at the insult to the Gold Star Mothers when they were refused entry to Arlington National Cemetery the previous day, marched back to the front gate. After initial refusal of entry, the veterans were finally allowed in. Veterans performed guerrilla theater on the Capitol steps, re-enacting combat scenes and search and destroy missions from Vietnam. Later that evening, Democratic Senators Claiborne Pell and Philip Hart held

5865-454: The South African former Apartheid policy, and was his last studio album. In the same year Belafonte, as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, attended a symposium in Harare, Zimbabwe , to focus attention on child survival and development in Southern African countries. As part of the symposium, he performed a concert for UNICEF. A Kodak video crew filmed the concert, which was released as a 60-minute concert video titled Global Carnival . Following

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5980-634: The South Vietnam Government consulate in San Francisco. In 1976, VVAW members occupied the Statue of Liberty a second time to bring renewed attention to veteran issues. On May 11, 1975, the VVAW staged The War Is Over concert and rally in New York City Central Park's Sheep Meadow . The New York Times reported that the concert had 50,000 attendees, which the VVAW described as "peaceniks" (a play on beatniks ). Performers included Phil Ochs , Joan Baez , Pete Seeger , Tom Paxton , Paul Simon , Patti Smith , Richie Havens , Harry Belafonte and Peter Yarrow . Among its most prominent organizers

6095-406: The South. The two met at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York , in March of the following year. This interaction led to years of joint political activism and friendship. Belafonte joined King and his wife, Coretta Scott King , during the 1958 Washington D.C. Youth March for Integrated Schools , and in 1963, he backed King in conversations with Robert F. Kennedy , helping to organize

6210-431: The Sun (1957), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Buck and the Preacher (1972), and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). He made his final feature film appearance in Spike Lee 's BlacKkKlansman (2018). Belafonte considered the actor, singer, and activist Paul Robeson to be a mentor. Belafonte was also a close confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and acted as

6325-446: The Supreme Court should have ruled on the constitutionality of the war. The veterans sang "God Bless America" and 110 were arrested for disturbing the peace, and were later released. John Kerry , as VVAW spokesman, testified against the war for two hours in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before a packed room. The veterans lobbied all day on Capitol. A Washington District Court judge dissolved his injunction order, rebuking

6440-433: The U.S. media's inaccurate coverage of the war. There were also hearings on proposals to end the United States' participation in the war. The vets planted a tree on the mall as part of a ceremony symbolizing the veterans' wish to preserve life and the environment. Senators George McGovern and Mark Hatfield helped arrange at least $ 50,000 in fundraising for Dewey Canyon III. The VVAW paid $ 94,000 to advertise this event in

6555-585: The United Kingdom, "Banana Boat Song" was released in March 1957 and spent ten weeks in the top 10 of the UK singles chart , reaching a peak of number two, and in August, " Island in the Sun " reached number three, spending 14 weeks in the top 10. In November, " Mary's Boy Child " reached number one in the UK , where it spent seven weeks. While primarily known for calypso, Belafonte recorded in many different genres, including blues , folk , gospel , show tunes , and American standards . His second-most popular hit, which came immediately after "The Banana Boat Song",

6670-425: The United States policy and participation in the Vietnam War . VVAW is a national veterans ' organization that campaigns for peace , justice , and the rights of all United States military veterans. It publishes a twice-yearly newsletter, The Veteran ; this was earlier published more frequently as 1st Casualty (1971–1972) and then as Winter Soldier (1973–1975). VVAW identifies as anti-war and has roots in

6785-455: The VVAW changed its name to VVAW/WSO (Winter Soldier Organization), and opened its membership to non-veterans to increase its base. Members of Bob Avakian 's militant Revolutionary Communist Party gained influential positions in the VVAW. This reached its peak in 1975, when the RU-controlled national office voted to remove members, expel chapters and place the organization into ideological uniformity. They later voted to dissolve themselves into

6900-453: The VVAW protestors would specifically wear military uniforms while denouncing the war. In 1997, Barry stated, "You can imagine the effect this had upon cops and lots of other people. Holy shit! These people are for real—a whole bunch of medals". Despite its rapid foundation and initial growth, the organization's trajectory was difficult to maintain. This was in part due to the November 1968 election of Richard Nixon , whose presidency "created

7015-403: The VVAW. On December 26, 1971, fifteen VVAW activists barricaded and occupied the Statue of Liberty for two days to bring attention to their cause. Simultaneous protests took place at other sites across the country, such as the historic Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia (for 45 minutes) and Travis Air Force Base in California (for 12 hours). VVAW members in California also briefly occupied

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7130-410: The Vietnam War and the significance of those awards. Among those that threw medals were Sen. John Kerry. According to internal White House memos between John Dean and Charles Colson , they had no idea how to handle the discarded medals and finally passed them on to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Several hearings in Congress were held that week regarding atrocities committed in Vietnam and

7245-487: The Winter Soldier Investigation to gather and present testimony from soldiers about war crimes being committed in Southeast Asia; they intended to demonstrate these resulted from American war policies. The event was boycotted by much of the mainstream media, although the Detroit Free Press covered it daily; its journalists began their own investigations to follow the testimony. They found no fraudulent participants or fraudulent testimony. Veterans applying to participate in

7360-468: The World ", brought together some of the era's best-known American musicians and is the eighth- best-selling single of all time with physical sales in excess of 20 million copies. In 1986 the American Music Awards named "We Are the World" "Song of the Year", and honored Belafonte with the Award of Appreciation. Belafonte released his first album of original material in over a decade, Paradise in Gazankulu , in 1988, which contained ten protest songs against

7475-516: The advertising manager of the show's sponsor, Plymouth Motors . Lott wanted to retape the segment, but Clark, who had ownership of the special, told NBC that the performance would be shown intact or she would not allow it to be aired at all. Newspapers reported the controversy, Lott was relieved of his responsibilities, and when the special aired, it attracted high ratings. Belafonte taped an appearance on an episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to be aired on September 29, 1968, performing

7590-412: The candidate, sharing the same sentiments as Robinson about Kennedy's role (or lack thereof) in maintaining civil rights as an essential part of his campaign. To improve his engagement with Black America, Belafonte suggested to Kennedy that he contact Martin Luther King , making a connection to a viable source of leadership within the movement. Kennedy, though, was hesitant with this suggestion, questioning

7705-523: The civil rights movement in America and his endeavors to promote social justice globally. In 2011, Belafonte's memoir My Song was published by Knopf Books . Belafonte supported the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr. 's confidants. After King had been arrested for his involvement in the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, he began traveling to Northern cities to spread awareness and acquire donations for those struggling with social segregation and oppression in

7820-444: The conflict with RCP and changes after the end of the war. Historian Andrew Hunt said it was "an ineffectual fragment of its former self. ... VVAW never ceased to exist. It split, dwindled, and underwent additional transformation. Yet it did not fold." Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( / ˌ b ɛ l ə ˈ f ɒ n t i / BEL -ə- FON -tee ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. ; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023)

7935-428: The day speaking with the veterans. The guerrilla theater re-enactments were moved to the steps of the Justice Department. Many veterans were prepared to be arrested for camping on the National Mall, but none were, as park police defied orders to make arrests. Headlines the following day read, "Vets Overrule Supreme Court". On April 22, a large group of veterans demonstrated on the steps of the Supreme Court, saying that

8050-526: The early 19th century, and Belafonte was dubbed the " King of Calypso ", a title he wore with reservations since he had no claims to any Calypso Monarch titles. One of the songs included in the album is the now famous " Banana Boat Song ", listed as "Day-O" on the Calypso LP, which reached number five on the pop chart and featured its signature lyric "Day-O". Many of the compositions recorded for Calypso , including "Banana Boat Song" and " Jamaica Farewell ", gave songwriting credit to Irving Burgie . In

8165-400: The film roles offered to him during the 1960s, Belafonte concentrated on music. In the early 1970s, Belafonte appeared in more films, among which are two with Poitier: Buck and the Preacher (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). In 1984, Belafonte produced and scored the musical film Beat Street , dealing with the rise of hip-hop culture. Together with Arthur Baker , he produced

8280-521: The gold-certified soundtrack of the same name . Four of his songs appeared in the 1988 film Beetlejuice , including "Day-O" and " Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora) ". Belafonte next starred in a major film in the mid-1990s, appearing with John Travolta in the race-reverse drama White Man's Burden (1995); and in Robert Altman 's jazz age drama Kansas City (1996), the latter of which garnered him

8395-583: The group, 2,000 members demonstrated in Washington, D.C., in July 1974, demanding universal amnesty for draft resisters and deserters , and universal discharge with benefits for all Vietnam veterans. Historian Andrew E. Hunt concluded, "Detractors have always cited numbers when criticizing VVAW. At the pinnacle of VVAW's success in 1972, membership rolls listed almost 25,000 card carriers, or fewer than 1 percent of all eligible Vietnam era veterans. ... By emphasizing

8510-418: The hearts and minds of the people." We had been told that on the balance the war was a good thing and we tried to make it a good thing; all of us can tell of somebody who helped out an orphanage, or of men like one sergeant who adopted a crippled Vietnamese child; and even at My Lai the grief of one of the survivors was mixed with bewilderment as he told a reporter, "I just don't understand it ... always before,

8625-444: The investigation were asked if they had witnessed or participated in any of the following: search and destroy missions, crop destruction, and POW mistreatment. This event was estimated to have cost the VVAW $ 50,000–$ 75,000. Funds were raised by several celebrity peace activists; actress Jane Fonda gained more than $ 10,000 in donations for this cause from 54 college campuses. Winter Soldier Investigation testimonies were read into

8740-563: The large crowd and expressed support. VVAW members defied a Justice Department-ordered injunction against camping on the Mall and set up an installation. Later that day, the District Court of Appeals lifted the injunction. Some members visited their Congressmen to lobby against the U.S. participation in the war. The VVAW presented Congress with a 16-point suggested resolution for ending the war. On April 20, 1971, 200 veterans listened to hearings by

8855-523: The latter of which dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under apartheid . He earned six Gold Records . During the 1960s, Belafonte appeared on TV specials alongside artists such as Julie Andrews , Petula Clark , Lena Horne , and Nana Mouskouri . In 1967, Belafonte was the first non-classical artist to perform at the prestigious Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Upstate New York, soon to be followed by concerts there by

8970-480: The line for the country over there, we should be willing to put our lives on the line for the country over here. The plan was voted down, although there's a "difference of opinion" as to how close the vote was. It is not known if John Kerry , a 2004 presidential candidate who was Secretary of State under President Barack Obama , attended this meeting. Kerry's campaign said he was not there and had already resigned from VVAW. In 1973, after months of heated debate,

9085-456: The low percentage of Vietnam veterans who paid dues to VVAW, opponents have sought to dismiss the significance and impact of the organization." “A U.S. infantry company has just come through here. If you had been Vietnamese, we might have burned your house, shot you and your dog, raped your wife and daughter, burned the town and tortured its citizens.” -Text on pamphlet passed out by VVAW marchers to residents of Solebury, Pennsylvania During

9200-799: The march, the group made sweeps, took and interrogated prisoners, seized property and cleared homes with the aid of previously planted " guerrilla theater " actors portraying civilians. The 86-mile-long march culminated in a four-hour mass rally at Valley Forge attended by more than 1,500 people. The honorary commander was retired Army Brigadier General Hugh B. Hester . A partial list of sponsors included United States Senators George McGovern and Edmund Muskie , Rep. John Conyers and Paul O'Dwyer . Sponsors scheduled to speak included Rep. Allard Lowenstein , Bella Absug , Rev. James Bevel , Jane Fonda , Mark Lane , Donald Sutherland and Vietnam Vets Joe Kennedy and John Kerry . Mike Lerner, and Army First Lt. Louis Font also spoke. In January 1971, VVAW sponsored

9315-534: The mid-1970s to early 1980s, Belafonte spent most of his time on tour, which included concerts in Japan, Europe, and Cuba . In 1977, Columbia Records released the album Turn the World Around , with a strong focus on world music . In 1978, he appeared as a guest star on an episode of The Muppet Show , on which he performed his signature song "Day-O". However, the episode is best known for Belafonte's rendition of

9430-469: The most hardcore hawks for last—and we would shoot them all. ... I was serious. I felt that I spent two years killing women and children in their own fucking homes. These are the guys that fucking made the policy, and these were the guys that were responsible for it, and these were the guys that were voting to continue the fucking war when the public was against it. I felt that if we really believed in what we were doing, and if we were willing to put our lives on

9545-740: The organization after Playboy Magazine donated a full-page VVAW ad in its February edition. The national televised coverage of VVAW's week-long April 1971 protest in Washington, D.C. , and smaller protests in subsequent months brought attention. A Federal Bureau of Investigation informant within the organization noted in March 1971 that membership had grown from 1,500 to over 12,000 in the past four months. An article in Ramparts , that year said VVAW had at that time approximately 11,000 members and employed 26 regional coordinators. Higher estimates exist, including

9660-578: The original Phoenix Program , CIA operations during the Vietnam War to assassinate the Viet Cong. Camil's Phoenix Project targeted the Southern senatorial leadership who were backing the war, including John Tower , Strom Thurmond , and John Stennis . Camil later said: I did not think it was terrible at the time. My plan was that, on the last day we would go into the [congressional] offices we would schedule

9775-538: The people of Indochina. The gate to the cemetery had been closed and locked upon word of their impending arrival; the Gold Star mothers placed the wreaths outside the gate and departed. The march re-formed and continued to the Capitol, with Congressman Pete McCloskey joining the procession en route. McCloskey and fellow Representatives Bella Abzug , Don Edwards , Shirley Chisholm , Edmund Muskie and Ogden Reid addressed

9890-536: The rest of the night at the Lexington Public Works Garage. Julian Soshnick , an attorney who represented the Boston Strangler , was among those who volunteered to represent the demonstrators. He worked out a deal with Concord Court Judge John Forte. The protesters later paid a $ 5 fine each and were released. The mass arrests caused a community backlash and eventually resulted in positive coverage for

10005-516: The signatures of 65 veterans. According to Barry, it "shook up [Secretary of Defense] McNamara , who had the signers investigated by the FBI," it "was read into the Congressional Record ," and it "spawned similar ads in newspapers across the country," as well as attracting new VVAW members. The 1967 advertisement declared: We believe that the conflict in which the United States is engaged in Vietnam

10120-457: The sites of the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill . The organizers' request to camp on the historic Lexington, Massachusetts Green was declined by the town. The VVAW and residents who supported them camped there anyway. At 2:30 a.m. on May 30, local and state police awoke and arrested 441 demonstrators for trespassing. They were transported on school buses to spend

10235-576: The social impact the preacher could make on the campaign. After much convincing–as Kennedy and King would later meet in June 1960–the two men negotiated a deal that if Nixon became the nominee for the Republican party , Belafonte would support Kennedy's presidential pursuits. Belafonte's endorsement of the campaign was further substantiated after both Kennedy brothers had worked to bail King out of jail in Atlanta after

10350-457: The son of Jamaican-born parents Harold George Bellanfanti Sr. (1900–1990), who worked as a chef, and Melvine Love (1906–1988), a housekeeper. There are disputed claims of his father's place of birth, which is also stated as Martinique . His mother was the child of a Scottish Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father, and his father was the child of an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Dutch-Jewish father of Sephardic Jewish descent. Harry Jr.

10465-465: The spiritual song "Turn the World Around", from the album of the same name, which he performed with specially made Muppets that resembled African tribal masks. It became one of the series' most famous performances and was reportedly Jim Henson 's favorite episode. After Henson's death in May 1990, Belafonte was asked to perform the song at Henson's memorial service. "Turn the World Around" was also included in

10580-595: The subject of feature stories in the New York Post , The New York Times , Sunday Times Magazine , Redbook , and Eye ". Soon, the VVAW secured a desk and a telephone in the office of the Fifth Avenue Vietnam Peace Parade Committee in New York City . Also in 1967, the VVAW bought an advertisement in The New York Times , titled "Viet-Nam Veterans Speak Out". It featured

10695-417: The talk led to an investigation of the position of Black people in the Vietnam War . Offended by Kennedy's implication that Black men should serve in the war, Jerome Smith scolded the young Attorney General. Smith, a Black man and Civil Rights advocate had been severely beaten while fighting for the movement's cause, which enforced his strong resistance to Kennedy's assertion, frustrated that he should fight for

10810-540: The war. The fluctuating membership size has had varied estimates. The organization remained small until late 1969 when it gained several hundred new members. With the Nixon administration 's decision to invade Cambodia and the Kent State shootings in 1970, VVAW's visibility increased, and they attracted new members, increasing from 1,500 to almost 5,000. Membership passed 8,500 by January 1971, and thousands more flocked to

10925-427: The war. He claimed Barry "did not yet know there was an American peace movement , but when he got out of the military, he went in search of what he called 'some other way'". Concerning this time, Barry has stated, "Before I met these other fuming former soldiers, upset sailors, angry airmen and mad Marines, I was a lonely voice of seething outrage"; he stated that he was "mad as hell, but nobody would listen". He sent

11040-457: The war. Rogers became the vice president of VVAW. In September 5 and 6 (Labor Day Weekend) 1970, Barry and Pierce (his future wife) participated in Operation RAW (Rapid American Withdrawal), a three-day protest march from Morristown, New Jersey to Valley Forge National Park , after which a mass rally was held. Over 200 veterans marched, and 1,500 attended the mass rally. In 2005, Jan Barry

11155-506: The world to sell more than one million copies in a year. He stated that it was the first million-selling album ever in England. The album is number four on Billboard ' s "Top 100 Album" list for having spent 31 weeks at number 1, 58 weeks in the top ten, and 99 weeks on the U.S. chart. The album introduced American audiences to calypso music , which had originated in Trinidad and Tobago in

11270-452: Was " Matilda ", recorded April 27, 1953. Between 1953 and 1954, he was a cast member of the Broadway musical revue and sketch comedy show John Murray Anderson's Almanac where he sang Mark Twain , of which he was also the songwriter. Following his success in the film Carmen Jones (1954), Belafonte had his breakthrough album with Calypso (1956), which became the first LP in

11385-459: Was Kennedy's pick to fill the endorsement position. The two met in Belafonte's apartment, where Kennedy had hoped to convince Belafonte to mobilize support for his campaign. He thought to accomplish this by having Belafonte mobilize his influence amongst other Black entertainers of the era, persuading them to rally for Kennedy's presidential nomination. Unexpectedly, Belafonte was not so impressed by

11500-565: Was VVAW co-founder Carl Douglas Rogers. American photographer Allan Tannenbaum documented the event, and it was broadcast on WBAI . During a four-day series of meetings in Kansas City, Missouri , on November 12–15, 1971, Scott Camil , a radical VVAW southern coordinator, proposed assassinating the most conservative members of United States Congress , and other powerful opponents of the antiwar movement. According to interviews with VVAW members, Camil suggested "The Phoenix Project", named after

11615-754: Was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador . During the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964, Belafonte bankrolled the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , flying to Mississippi that August with Sidney Poitier and $ 60,000 in cash and entertaining crowds in Greenwood . In 1968, Belafonte appeared on a Petula Clark primetime television special on NBC . In the middle of a duet of On the Path of Glory , Clark smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm, which prompted complaints from Doyle Lott,

11730-748: Was a reporter at The Record when he investigated the Ford Motor Company 's pollution of the Ringwood Mines landfill site . Together with the Ramapough Lenape , Barry exposed the toxic waste dumping done by the Ford company. This began the "battle of the Ramapough Indians in a bid to secure a healthier future for their children in the face of alleged atrocities committed by the Ford Corporation and

11845-614: Was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte's career breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first million-selling LP by a single artist. Belafonte was best known for his recordings of " Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) ", " Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora) ", " Jamaica Farewell ", and " Mary's Boy Child ". He recorded and performed in many genres, including blues , folk , gospel , show tunes , and American standards . He also starred in films such as Carmen Jones (1954), Island in

11960-700: Was born in Ithaca, New York . He was raised in "a rural village in the Finger Lakes region" and had a "small town, Republican, patriotic upbringing". He graduated from Interlaken Central School in Interlaken, New York in 1961. He attended the State University of New York College of Forestry at Syracuse University, but dropped out in May 1962 "to join the Army and see the world". From December 1962 to October 1963, he completed

12075-605: Was designed by Barry, the first president of the organization. Barry appropriated the military insignia of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam , replacing its sword with a helmet and gun. In so doing, Barry "transform[ed] war symbols into peace symbols" similarly to the Veterans for Peace and Donald Duncan . Its creation coincided with the popularization of the G.I. Underground Press , wherein military personnel circulated publications satirizing and condemning

12190-570: Was discharged from his Army enlistment in May 1965. Journalist Nick Medvecky notes this was because Barry did not agree with the American response during the Vietnam conflict. In May 1963, he had witnessed a Buddhist anti-war protest in Nha Trang , and found himself appalled that the Saigon government "would turn loose tanks and machine guns and barbed wire all over the country". American journalist Gerald Nicosia describe Barry's philosophical conflict with

12305-540: Was in Spike Lee 's Academy Award-winning BlacKkKlansman (2018) as an elderly civil rights pioneer. Belafonte is said to have married politics and pop culture. Belafonte's political beliefs were greatly inspired by the singer, actor, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson , who mentored him. Robeson opposed not only racial prejudice in the United States but also western colonialism in Africa. Belafonte refused to perform in

12420-577: Was inducted as an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity on January 11, 2014. In March 2014, Belafonte was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston . In 2017, Belafonte released When Colors Come Together , an anthology of some of his earlier recordings, produced by his son David, who wrote lyrics for an updated version of "Island In The Sun", arranged by longtime Belafonte musical director Richard Cummings, and featuring Harry Belafonte's grandchildren Sarafina and Amadeus and

12535-516: Was interviewed by Katie Couric just minutes before the first plane hit the World Trade Center . The album was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Boxed Recording Package, for Best Album Notes, and for Best Historical Album. Belafonte received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1989. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994 and he won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He performed sold-out concerts globally through

12650-485: Was named after two short military invasions of Laos by US and South Vietnamese forces. Dubbed "Operation Dewey Canyon III", it took place in Washington, D.C., April 19–23, 1971. Participants said it was "a limited incursion into the country of Congress." This week of protest events gained much greater media publicity and Vietnam veterans participation than earlier events. Led by Gold Star Mothers (mothers of soldiers killed in war), more than 1,100 veterans marched across

12765-403: Was raised Catholic and attended parochial school at St. Charles Borromeo . From 1932 to 1940, Belafonte lived with one of his grandmothers in her native country of Jamaica, where he attended Wolmer's Schools . Upon returning to New York City, he dropped out of George Washington High School , after which he joined the U.S. Navy and served during World War II . In the 1940s, he worked as

12880-507: Was subsequently able to land several (then) controversial film roles. In Island in the Sun (1957), there are hints of an affair between Belafonte's character and the character played by Joan Fontaine ; the film also starred James Mason , Dandridge, Joan Collins , Michael Rennie , and John Justin . In 1959, Belafonte starred in and produced (through his company HarBel Productions) Robert Wise 's Odds Against Tomorrow , in which Belafonte plays

12995-491: Was the comedic tune " Mama Look at Bubu ", also known as "Mama Look a Boo-Boo", originally recorded by Lord Melody in 1955, in which he sings humorously about misbehaving and disrespectful children. It reached number 11 on the pop chart. In 1959, Belafonte starred in Tonight With Belafonte , a nationally televised special that featured Odetta , who sang " Water Boy " and performed a duet with Belafonte of " There's

13110-571: Was the last service performed by Day for nearly two decades. Operation POW, organized by the VVAW in Massachusetts, expressed the imprisonment of Americans by the war years and honor for American POWs held captive by North Vietnam . Over the 1971 Memorial Day weekend, veterans and supporters marched from Concord, Massachusetts to a rally on Boston Common . They invoked the spirit of the American Revolution by spending successive nights at

13225-506: Was titled Spring Mobilization to End the War. The April 15 demonstration had 400,000 attendees, marching from Central Park to the United Nations , with speakers including Martin Luther King Jr. , Harry Belafonte , James Bevel , and Dr. Benjamin Spock . During the march, Barry "took his place among [the veterans], at the very front of the parade" and was nervous about the possibility of snipers and counterdemonstrators. However, no such violence occurred. Barry hoped to keep in touch with

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