News of Harry Belafonte's Oscar win over his humanitarian work honors his years in the civil rights movement, having been one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants way back in the 1960s.
The Harlem-born singer and actor most famous for classic songs of Caribbean sound (such as "The Banana Boat Song" and "Jump In The Line") was one of the honorees in the latest Governors Ball ceremony in Hollywood, which gave Harry Belafonte his Oscar over the past weekend.
According to the BBC, Harry Belafonte's Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (which has been given in the past to high-ranking Hollywood activists in the past, such as Elizabeth Taylor and most recently Angelina Jolie) was given to him for his years of fighting in the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s America, when he was one of the most outspoken people when it came to ending segregation in the United States.
While his co-honorees of the night included other amazing figures of film such as classic Irish actress Maureen O'Hara, French-born screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere and recently retired Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, it seems Harry Belafonte's Oscar took the largest chunk of the event, as he was the one taking up what many consider the most important award in the Governors Ball.
While mostly known for his role in the American civil rights movement and for having marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. back in the day (as recalled by Sky News), Harry Belafonte's Oscar also honored his work in other causes, such as his support for charities of prostate cancer, his position as a goodwill ambassador in UNICEF and his heavy campaigning for HIV consciousness in Africa, where the virus is traditionally one of the greatest health public health concerns due to poor sexual education.
Once he had been given his Humanitarian Academy Award, the iconic actor and singer went on to talk about how he'd love to see Hollywood by the end of the current century, saying it would surely be a "game changer," as reported by USA Today.
A major event in Los Angeles, the traditional Governors Ball features some of the biggest name in Hollywood, both current and classic. Among the stars present were Reese Witherspoon, Warren Beatty, Susan Sarandon and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Right after receiving his award, Harry Belafonte's Oscar wasn't the only way he honored the civil rights movement: he also asked screen legend Sidney Poitier to join him in the stage.
