Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte’s 1956 album Calypso made him the first artist in history to sell more than one million LPs. He won both a Tony award and an Emmy, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. He served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors for excellence in the performing arts. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in December 2022 and died in April 2023.

Michael Shnayerson is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.