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Harry Belafonte
Singer, actor & civil rights financier
The King of Calypso who bankrolled a revolution — because he knew a hit record could fund a freedom ride.
The rise
Born in Harlem to Jamaican parents, Belafonte grew up partly in Jamaica before returning to New York. After serving in the Navy, he studied acting alongside Marlon Brando and Sidney Poitier, then pivoted to music. His 1956 album Calypso became the first LP to sell a million copies.