Entertainer & Activist, Harry Belafonte, Passes Away at 96

Harry Belafonte was known for songs 'Banana Boat' and 'Jump In The Line.'

Harry Belafonte, Entertainer and Activist, passes away

(Photo: Twitter)

Harry Belafonte, actor and activist, known for songs 'Banana Boat' and 'Jump In The Line' died on Tuesday, 25 April at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, as per a report by CBS News. He was 96 at the time of his passing.

Belafonte died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his New York home, his wife Pamela by his side, said Paula M. Witt, of public relations firm Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis.

Belafonte was also a civil rights activist. He was known for helping during the civil rights movement in the 1950s.

Oprah Winfrey was among the first to pay tribute, she said, Belafonte was "a trailblazer and a hero to us all". She continued by saying, "Thank you for your music, your artistry, your activism, your fight for civil rights and justice," she continued. "Your being here on Earth has blessed us all."

Singer John Legend said, "I loved Mr Belafonte and I’m so grateful for his revolutionary work and his massive influence on our nation and the world. I found out that he passed just before this interview. He worked so hard and did so much. May he get his well-deserved rest."

Belafonte's breakthrough album was Calypso.