In Memoriam 2023: Harry Belafonte (1927–2023) Tribute List

American singer, actor, and activist, Harry Belafonte popularized calypso music in the 1950s. Over the course of his seven-decade career he earned an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). Beyond calypso, Belafonte performed many other genres: blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He also starred in many films, primarily in the '50s and the '70s. Equally important to him was his longtime involvement in various human rights causes. A close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., Belafonte was an active supporter of the civil rights movement and African humanitarian efforts. Internationally-acclaimed, and a member of the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, Harry Belafonte's life is highlighted in this tribute through song lyrics, quotes, and biographical articles.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. chorus
    the part of a song where a group of singers joins a soloist
    (Matilda,) Sing out the chorus,
    (Matilda,) Sing a little louder,
    – Matilda
  2. tally
    the act of counting; reciting numbers in ascending order
    Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
    Daylight come and me wan' go home
    – Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)
  3. declare
    state emphatically and authoritatively
    I must declare my heart is there
    – Jamaica Farewell
  4. toil
    work hard
    This is my island in the sun
    Where my people have toiled since time begun
    – Island In The Sun
  5. scorn
    reject with contempt
    Mama, mama do not scorn me
    Do not turn me from your door
    – Swing Dat Hammer
  6. sear
    become superficially burned (also figurative)
    But long the swallows have been here
    And soon the love shall set in sear
    And cold and growing is my fear
    That Annie's gone forever
    That Annie's gone forever
    – Annie-Love
  7. tango
    a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin
    You can talk about cha-cha
    Tango, waltz or the rumba
    Senora's dance has no title
    – Jump In The Line
  8. fathom
    a linear unit of measurement for water depth
    Mark Twain four fathoms off the starboard bow
    – Mark Twain
  9. spirit
    the vital principle or animating force within living things
    We are of the spirit
    Truly of the spirit
    Only can the spirit
    Turn the world around
    – Turn The World Around
  10. whirl
    the act of rotating rapidly
    Get yourself a limbo girl
    Give that chic a limbo whirl
    There's a limbo moon above
    You will fall in limbo love
    – Limbo Song
  11. bust
    ruin completely
    Joe: I'm busted. I gave the last of my pay to the landlady.
    – Carmen Jones
  12. prejudice
    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
    Mavis Norman: Do you care what stupid, prejudiced people think?
    David Boyeur: You've never had to fight stupidity or prejudice.
    – Island in the Sun
  13. plowshare
    a sharp steel wedge that cuts loose the top layer of soil
    Ralph Burton: They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
    – The World, the Flesh and the Devil
  14. prune
    cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
    Ralph Burton: They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
    – The World, the Flesh and the Devil
  15. injustice
    the practice of being unfair
    He told NPR in 2011 how his mother had told him, "Don't ever let injustice go unchallenged." Because of her, he said, "I was long an activist before I became an artist."
    – NPR
  16. activist
    a reformer who works to achieve social or political change
    He told NPR in 2011 how his mother had told him, "Don't ever let injustice go unchallenged." Because of her, he said, "I was long an activist before I became an artist."
    – NPR
  17. befriend
    become friends with
    Early in his career, he befriended the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and became not just a lifelong friend but also an ardent supporter of Dr. King and the quest for racial equality he personified.
    – The New York Times
  18. ardent
    characterized by strong enthusiasm
    Early in his career, he befriended the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and became not just a lifelong friend but also an ardent supporter of Dr. King and the quest for racial equality he personified.
    – The New York Times
  19. advocacy
    active support of an idea or cause
    "Harry Belafonte's accomplishments are legendary and his legacy of outspoken advocacy, compassion, and respect for dignity will endure forever," Biden said on Twitter.
    – The Guardian
  20. dignity
    the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
    "Harry Belafonte's accomplishments are legendary and his legacy of outspoken advocacy, compassion, and respect for dignity will endure forever," Biden said on Twitter.
    – The Guardian
Created on Fri Apr 28 19:30:18 EDT 2023 (updated Mon May 01 12:44:26 EDT 2023)

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