Tribute to the Calypso King – The Unisa Alumnus who was an activist first, then an artist

To the strictly musically inclined, Belafonte was this world renowned, majestic and captivating music supremo who enthralled audiences and music lovers all over the world and took the entertainment scene by storm in the 1950s. Many an entertainment critique regarded him as a titan across genres, disciplines and generations; and the ultimate blockbuster musical performer of the 50s and 60s. And he capped it all with a noteworthy acting career that ran from the 1950s to his last appearance in the critically acclaimed film BlackKkKlansman, directed by the legendary Spike Lee.

His breakthrough album, Calypso, released in 1956, became the first long-playing LP record in the world to sell over a million copies in a single year. It is this album that introduced calypso music, a style of Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 19th century, to American audiences and which earned him the monicker, King of Calypso.    

To the politically conscious, Harry Belafonte represented much more than just an international musical icon. He was the quintessential civil rights activist and crusader against oppression and injustices in the land of his birth and beyond its borders. The pages of history are replete with examples of his heroic and selfless deeds, from occupying the front lines of civil rights marches with Dr Martin Luther King to personally paying bail for those arrested during the American civil rights campaign.  

He saw his music as just another frontier and a vehicle to advance the cause of social justice. Who can forget that the conceptualisation and recording of the hit single ‘We are the World”, whose aim was to help with the relief of famine in Africa, was his brainchild? His epic song “Day-O” is a painful and heartfelt tribute to the men and women who toiled in the banana and cane fields of Jamaica under extremely exploitative conditions.  

Nothing illustrates this clarity about who he is better than his own proclamation in his autobiography “ My Song (2011) – “I wasn’t an artist who’d become an activist. I was an activist who’d become an artist”.    

Belafonte’s ties with South Africa were special and second to none, tied by a proverbial invisible umbilical cord. He was a relentless and vociferous campaigner against the evil Apartheid system in South Africa. His joint recording and release of a Grammy Award winning album with the legendary South African musical icon, Mirriam Makeba in 1965, titled “An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba” typified his close love and close affinity to South Africa, as did the widely circulated duet by the two titled “Malaika/My Angel”.

He is a recipient of the distinguished Order of the Companions of OR Tambo. This is an order of peace, co-operation and active expression of solidarity and support awarded to Heads of State and Government as well as other foreign dignitaries for friendship shown to South Africa.

Indeed, Harry Belafonte was more than just an activist and an artist. He was a pathfinder and barrier-breaker who cleared the path for those who came after him to walk the path with as little hindrance as possible. He was an institution.   

The University of South Africa (Unisa) was thus privileged to welcome Harry Belafonte into the family of its illustrious alumni in 2013, when he accepted the conferment of the Doctor of Literature and Philosophy degree (honoris causa) at a special ceremony held in Manhattan, New York, USA.

The Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Puleng LenkaBula and the entire Unisa community bid farewell to this towering global icon at a time when we at Unisa are celebrating our 150th Anniversary. We use this moment to affirm our collective resolve to honour the memory of this great alumnus of our institution by becoming the epitome of efficiency, effectiveness and excellence.

Rest in Power, Calypso King! You inspire us!