Harry Belafonte's legacy honored in his Harlem home
NEW YORK -- Legendary entertainer Harry Belafonte is being remembered equally as much for his work off the screen.
The actor became a civil rights activist, standing alongside leaders during major events in history.
Despite his super stardom, Belafonte never forgot where he came from -- Harlem. He used his success to take care of the people of his community, and that's why his name is forever etched in history.
As an honor to Belafonte's Harlem roots, the 115th Street Library changed its name in 2017 as the city collaborated to create an archival collection at the Schomburg Center, where the actor was first inspired to perform at the American Negro Theater stage still standing there.
"I was an activist before I was an artist," Belafonte said in 2017.
"He believed that one should use their platform to do good and to be a force for change," said Schomburg Center Director Joy Bivins.
The collection of scrapbooks from on-screen acclaim and letters from efforts in the civil rights movement came to the center a month before the pandemic lockdown, now offering an invitation to a new generation.
"It will provide a blueprint for some young people who are thinking about how to model and shape their own careers," Bivins said.
Even those who didn't know Belafonte personally recognize the impact he had through partnerships with leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"He helped the man a lot, and he helped our people a lot. He was a great help, and he'll be truly missed," one Harlem resident said Tuesday.
Some fans marked the occasion at the Apollo Theater marquee, where his name is emblazoned, lifted up in lights for a final time.