An eloquently told personal account of an era of enormous cultural and
political change, which reveals Harry Belafonte as not only one of
America's greatest entertainers, but also one of our most profoundly
influential activists.
Harry Belafonte spent his childhood in both Harlem and Jamaica, where
the toughness of the city and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean
lifestyle instilled in him a tenacity to face the hurdles of life
head-on and channel his anger into positive, life-affirming actions. He
returned to New York City after serving in the Navy in World War II, and
found his calling in the theater, before transitioning into a career as
a singer and Hollywood leading man. During the 1960s civil rights
movement, Belafonte became close friends with Martin Luther King, Jr.,
and used his celebrity as a platform for his activism in civil rights
and countless other political and social causes. My Song tells the
inspiring story of a startlingly original and powerful entertainer who
has always engaged fiercely with the issues of his day.