harry belafonte

NEW YORK (AP) — Harry Belafonte has died at age 96. He was a dedicated activist and award-winning actor and singer. He sold millions of records and starred on stage and screen before scaling back his career and becoming a relentless supporter of civil rights and other causes. Belafonte not only participated in protest marches and benefit concerts, but helped organize and raise support for them. He worked closely with his friend and generational peer the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., often intervening on his behalf with both politicians and fellow entertainers. He died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his New York home.

Up to the early 20th century, most American knowledge of Black history was limited to the African American struggle through slavery and emancipation. The...