Citizen of the World: Harry Belafonte Interview

Aired June 17, 2004

The energy, color, and texture of a marketplace in Kingston, Jamaica, is a setting that legendary American singer, Harry Belafonte, became well acquainted with through his years of living on that island as a child. Moving back and forth between the island of Jamaica and his mother’s home in Harlem, NY, as a child and teenager perhaps gave Belafonte a perspective that would foreshadow his status as a ‘citizen of the world’ in years to come. A look at his multi-page biography shows him traversing the globe as a singer, an actor, a civil and human rights activist, and a cultural advisor to the Peace Corps , and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassdor, among many, many other activities. Harry Belafonte has added more digits to his frequent flier miles to be here in Cleveland recently to talk about another cause that’s near and dear to his heart, the arts - and specifically the role of the arts in teaching children. Dee Perry had this exclusive interview.