MY SONG: A MEMOIR

Saturday ,October 22, 2011 Harry and Pamela Belafonte attended the screening of "Sing Your Song " at the Britsh International Film Festival in London, on Thursday evening , October 20.( I was watcing it for the 2d time in 3 days on HBO. I was able to tape it on the very last VHS available in any local stores...but I will keep HBO another month, in order not to damage my treasured tape.) All the reviews since last Januart are true,but it is too short, with only glimpses of such a busy six decades long public life,which should probably last 12 hours or more. The Viennale ( in Austira) started on October 20 and will last until Nov.2. Harry Belafonte will attend a special program honoring him. I have not seen the date of that event. After multiple appearances, some of them LIVE on TV, to promote MY SONG and Sing Your Song, the travel to at least 2 distant European capitals, he will resume his tour in the USA. I have tickets to the conversation and signing of MY SONG , in Washington DC , on Tuesday night, November 1st, but it will be difficult to arrange, due to parking in DC and my inability to walk or be left alone on the sidewalk in my wheel-chair, until my driver - whoever he or she is . comes back from parking the car . I hope that problem will be resolved .I trust it will ! I have not received yet the books ( including extra-large print ) that I ordered as soon as I found out about it... So, I continue to read the one I 've had, as soon as I find time..it is fascinating . I've learned 2 or 3 unexpected facts. Saturday, October 8, 2011 Thi book,MY SONG, A Memoir, is so extraordinery, so powerful, even more so than what the publisher wrote , that even I ,a half-blind lifelong fan, have been spending HOURS, day after day reading it since last Monday, when I received it, 8 days before its release....I fortget the time of my many medications, time to fix my dinner, to watch French TV (!!) and time to go to bed ! And I have not finished it yet...I go from 2 or 3 chapters, then to another 2 or 3, last night I read the last 2 chapters. There are also lots of pictures from activism, archives , and several private pictures that had never been shown in programs, books or documentaries. What a revelation to see them. All I can do to-day, is to highly recommend to everybody having attended some of his concerts,lived through a time of big changes in the world, from the USA te South African, to buy this book or get it from a public library> It will be released 0n October 11. HBO showed Sing Your Song at the APPOLO Theater in Harlem 2 nights ago, Thursday, October 6, to greta applause and reviews. The New York Post wrote as a title: Harry home in Harlem. It was true: he was there, to a packed theater and great recetion , attended by NY politicians, stars and others. On the other hand, he could not make the trip to South Africa to receive the Lifetime Achievement SA Traditional Music Award, The frail and ailing Belafonte was represented by his daughter, Adrienne, who said:" my father has received numerous awards but for him the one from SA music indusry is incredibly special ", she told the Sowetan in Johannesburg. .

PHOENIX AWARD SEPTEMBER 18, 20010,in DC.

This photo belogs to page 2010, but I tried to add the SUNDANCE FESTIVL portrait to open 2011 , I had to enter a Page breaker, which I have not been able to...therefore the mix-up...

2011 " SING YOUR SONG " 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011,

AP Photo at the Sundance Film Festival, at reception for cast and filmakers of Harry Belafonte's of his life, " Sing Your Song " Friday, January, 21, 2011

Photo posted by Syracuse.com on Fiday, Jan.28. Thanks to France-Maie for sending it back to me in Jpeg.

Saturday September 24

HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS PRESENTS

SING YOUR SONG

THE MUSIC, HOPE AND VISION OF HARRY BELAFONTE

PEMIERES MONDAY OCTOBER 17, 10PM ONLY ON HBO

OR WATCH IT ON HBOGO (?)t

There was a vey interesting review of Harry BelAfonte's "nearly 2 hours speech " at Wayne University by its president, but I' ll have to find it another time.

Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011

On Friday, Sept. 8, Harry Belafonte was scheduled to speak at Wayne State University at 7:30pm. The title of his speech was: "Where We Are Headed. "

From the NYPost.com
" Harry Belafonte is heading for immortality...... His book My Song: A Memoir,( Knopf ) due in November,but accelerated to coincide with HBO documentary "Sing Your Song" (Oct. 17 ),will be published on Oct.11. It will simultaneously be released in an audio version, e-book and extra -large print. VP of p.r. Nichols Latimer said:it's a loving book and we believe it delivers. First printing is 150,000. He'll travel the country to promote it vigorously."

The New york City Public Library announced that Harry Belafonte will speak on Oct. 12.

Barnes and Nobles announce its October schedul
e of books signing: Harry Belafonte will sign his book on Oct.13,at 12:30pm at the 555 5th avenue store.( palindrom.my remark....)

The London International Film Festival (Oct.12-27) will screen Sing Yousr Song, and Harry Belafonte will attend. ( date not mentioned)

The Viennale (Oct.20-Nov.2 ) will be staging special programs to celebrate the work of UK producer Jeremy Thomas, US actor and political activist Harry Belafonte and the Belgian director Chantal Akerman.
Hary Belafonte will attend.
( My remark: this schedule is reminiscent of the late 90s early 2000s ! )

Sunday,Sept.4,2011

I am shocked to see that I have not written anything here since July 30... "Eterneal Belafonte" has been in the news from the New York Post.com- with several excellent pictures - to the Broadway World...
I will try to catch up later,but for now:
The New Yorl Choral Society will open its season on September 11 by participating in the comnmemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy at the St Patrick Cathedral at 7:00pm. The special international concert will include Dvorak's Stabat Mater and Harry Belafonte's uplifting Turn the World Around " , performed by the NYCS.

Saturday July 30 ,2011

Lots of news in the past 3 days, most of them having to do with Harry Belafonte's remarks on Barack Obama, from all media, from Hollywood to Winnipeg, New Zealand and Australia.

Belafonte made his remarks to The TV Critics Association during a discussion about Sing Your Song " , a documentary about his life, which will debut on HBO,on October 17. (2011).
Asked by a journalist what he thought about the debt-ceiling crisis, Belafonte said he would ask Congress, the President and other US institutions of power " what happened to moral truth and moral power" .He said President Obama and his "mission have failed because of lack of moral courage and vision."
He said he hoped the documentary will illuminate a time when America had problems and found the resources to face them.
The 84 years old singer, known as The King of Calypso has pushed for political and social change ever since the Civil Rights non-violent movement. ( The Associated Press,July 28,2011, as a summary of all the different news,)

SATURDAY JULY 9 , 2011

Latest news

MY SONG: A MEMOIR

by HARRY BELAFONTE

with Michael Shnayerson
will be released on October 11,20011,published by Knopf (480 pages....I don't know HOW I will be able to read it, ho;ding a magnifier in my hand> Iwill probably have to learn to skim (?) .

Paul Leslie said "I'm doing a radio interview with Harry Belafonte this fall."

The release of this book is probably why HBO has set the showing of SING YOUR SONG for October nstead of just " in the fall."

What an amazing year for Harry Belafonte, reminiscent of the 1950s , and what a feast for his fans !

I just posted a picture of the cover of the announced book.(at 5:52 pm)
not at the exact place, but it's the latest and starts an exhilarating year.

I recommend on the French site http://membres.multimania.fr/belafont/C%20biographie.htm
You can also find 2 of my disappeared poems by clicking on Sommaire, then Liens and Poems
(The Eyes and Citizen of The World )

SATURDAY, JUNE 11

STATEN ISLAND,NY, June 11
At The Staten Island third annual Film Festival last night, a sponsor noted that the festival can have an educational purpose with films like "the dynamic documentary "Sing Your Song", which gives young people a chance to know Harry Belafonte beyond his song "Day-O".

On Thursday night, June 9, Gina Belafonte, who attended the screening of " Sing Your Song " in
Duluth,, Minnesota, said in the Q&A session : " My father keeps reminding me how tired he is of himself right now."...!
SUNDAY MAY 15,2011

A week ago, was a very bittersweet day for me: "Sing Your Song" was being screened at The MDFF in Baltimore, followed by a conversation by Piltzer Prize winner Taylor Branch with Harry Belafonte, and I was not there ! I learned about it 2 evenings earlier...and it was closing the festival on Mothers Day....
.There were 2 reviews in the Baltimor Sun, one being by a new fan after attending the event, and the other, in more details , concluded :" When Day-O played over the closing credits, hundreds of peole sang along. They knew who he was and they embraced him."

In New York, Sing Your Song will be screened on June 25 at the Human Rights Film Festival, at The Lincoln Center Film Society Theater.
After the screening, Harry Belafonte will be interviwed by Amy Goodman (again! ) to celabtate the 15th anniversary of Democracy Now !. There will be an intimate reception with Harry Belafonte after the Q&A session.


SUNDAY MAY 1, 2011

APRIL HAS BEEN A BUSY NEW YORK CITY
MONTH FOR HARRY BELAFONTE

On Wednesday, April 26, he receied 2 awards , a Humanitarian Awad and a Gold Medal, very rarely given, by the City Ballet Theater of NY and by the NY Musical Society. (can't find my notes...just from memory ! )

On April 12, he attended the 120th anniversary of Carbegy Hall at the Museum of Modern Art. Nice pictures on the red carpet, accompanied as always in the past 3 years by his wife Pamela,

The Tribeca Film Festival will screen the New York premiere of SING YOUR SONG on Saturday April 29, at 6:00pm. It will be followed by a discusion of his career by Harry Belafonte , with PBS broadcaster Tavis Smiley. Hopefully, Tavis Smiley will include it in his program.

Then, on May 2, Harry Belafonte will be one of the presenters of the New York Film Society of the Lincoln Center 38th annual Chaplin Award to Sidney Poitier.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

Eight years ago,in Wednesday, March 24, 2003, I attended a performance of " Harrry Belafonte and Friends " at the Olympia ,in Paris. Unfortunately it was the last time I saw him as an entertainer and for all his fans worldwide one of his very last shows .
He was in rare form, being able to tell his applauding audience what he thought of the USA (and allies)'s attack on Irak one day earlier, in the country who had said NO to George W, Bush.
It seemed like he wanted the evening to go on and on...and even though ill, he stayed on stage nearly 3 hours, without a break and nobody could have guessed he was tired! The French newspaper LE MONDE reporte the next day: " Harry Belafonte left the stage under the laurels due to heroes" ( my translation of my native language.)
For a complete report of this marvelus performance you can go to the site < www.Harry Belafonte-le site>, in French.

A few weeks ago, HBO announced it has bought the rights to "SING YOUR SONG", and will show it in the fall.

It was screened at the SWSX 2011 film festval in Austin, Texas in mid-Mach. Shari Belafonte and the director attended the screening.


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

On Sunday, February 13, 2011 Harry Belafonte receivedThe ? Camera Prize for his film " Sing Your Song ", which was premiered during day 4 of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival at the
Friedrichstadtstadtpalats ( What a happy name cincidence for me: Friedricv , meaning PEACE POWER is the german form of my own name....amd lost poem " The Power of Peace" ) on Saturday February 12.
Beautiul pictures (AP and Getty of that day, receiving the Award , and one during an interview)
Saturday Feb. 12,in which Harry Belafonte explained that the death of his close friend Marlon Brando in 2004 inspired him to do th docunentary of hislife and people in it (paraphrased), He still hesitated but was peessed to do it by his daughter Gina, who c0--produced the documentary.
Harry , Pamela and Gina Belafonte were there as well as film director Susanne Rostock .

On Thursday Feb 11, Harry and Pamela Belafonte attended the 2011 AmFAR gala in New York City...and 3 weeks earlier they were at the Sundance Festival !

It looks like the nearly 84 years old is as active as he was 8 years ago...


There were so many comments about " Sing Your Sonng ", which opened the Sundance Film Festival that I cannot even try to mention them...but Robert Redford, the founder of the Sundance Institute, explained that' the the story of the life of Harry Belafonte is story that needs to be told for generations to come: therefore, a documentary. "

I managed to catch a short interview of Harry and Gina Belafonte and director Susanne Rostock on the Sundance channel ( which I will now cancel...too expensive! ), friday eveing, Jan.28.

T0-morrow evening, Harry Belafonte will appear at The Syracuse Peace Concil to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The program will not be a speech. He said. " I will be telling a story I'll say ' Here's what happened in my life...I might be talking to some young woman or some young man...and say:' I understand that. That's what happened to me. "

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Lots of news this week;
www.unison.org
To-night, a new play "harry Belafonte Tribute", by playwright Michael Monasterial, will be presented as part of the Martin Luther Kng Jr. Day elebrationat Unison Arts and Learning Center in New Paltz ( stae not mentioned...)

The Sundance Film Festival begins on January 15, and " SING YOU SONG " a documentary which examines Harry Belafonte's life is among the first three presented this week
A very interesting explanation of the reason why she directed this film is relaated by Susanne Rostock in" meet the Sundance filmmakers: three to cap off"

On Saturday, January 22, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Harry Belafonte will host the premiere party and concert for "The Last Moutain",a documentary on the mountain top mines of West Virginia.

Also, one of the chief events of the festival is a reception for he documentary "Sing Your Song". Date not mentioned.

2010 A NEW DECADE 2010


(Below picture, in 2010....I will have to try to place new year properly another day. Hope I can !)

Harry Belafonte holding his Phoenix Award on \\\ednesday,September 18, 2010, in Washington, DC.
AP photo, which is exactly the same as the one I took with my old automatic camera, which i cannot enter.Thanks again to France-Marie

Quicksilver NYT, 01/04/10
"From silver gray to pearl gray ,a fresh fashion color was worn by many during the holiday season."Sunday, October 3, 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

I have been unable to get on my site, so here are some news:

Harry Belafonte had to cancel his 3 universities appearances in late Octobee because of illness.

He is well now and was in the aience at a New York City Public Library I believe on November 7, (I can't find my notes ).

On November 17, he attended The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights and Justice gala in New York City. He looked great accompanied by his wife Pamela.

He is also scheduled to take part in the 55th anniversary of The Montgomert, Alabama, bus boycot, which is either starting or ending now...( notes somewgere on my makeshift table next to TV.!

Monday, October 18

I have not been able to get to this page in the pas 2 weeks...and Harry Belafonte has been very busy:
On Saturday, October 2, at THE ONE NATION RALLY, at The Lincoln Memorial, heconcluded his speech saying:" Peade is necessary.For justice. It is necessary. For hope. It is necessary . For our future."

In its last newsletter, United for Peace and Justice, wrote: Of all the speakers, Harry Belafonte's speech was the most powerful.

On Thursday, October 7, Shari Belafonte's ITALY Opening night was attended by her family. wonderful pictures of the proud family man! What a joy to see them!

On Tuesday October 12, he was the keynote seaker at Rider University's 13th annual Unity Day: "1960-2010 = - 50 Years of Social Changes " ( It's the first time I read a mention of his " moving slowly with the assistance of cane". )
He gave a brief summery of his life. He concluded by advising the audience to:"Sing your song."

Yesterday, The Olympian ( Washington State) related a telephone interview with Harry Belafonte about his October appearace at at the Universityof Pudget Sound.
In this interview, Harry Belafonte revealed the title of his upcoming documentary about his life: SING YOUR SONG Such an apropriate title ! I can hardly wait to see that ;ong-awaited film!

LIBERALS RALY IN DC FOR JOBS,EDUCATION
on Saturday,October 2 at The Lincoln Memorial.

Among the speakers on stage were Civil Rights leaders Rev.Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and singer Harry Belafonte.
Hundreds of thousands rallied to rekindle Obama spirit and support the Democrats on that beautiful,cool Saturday afternoon.
He was shown speaking by the evening news but not heard as the reportes spoke more about the rally.

On Saturday September 18, Harry Belafonte was one of 4 recipients of the CBCF Phoenix Awards at a gala dinner. He received The George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Award for "eceptional compassion and great commitment to championing the causes of the poor, the underprivileged and the oppressed."
I think he gave the best speech of the evening , and actually, of those I heard in the past few years, in a strong voice that reminded me of why he is still such a highly respected speaker.

He is to spek at WSU the Detrit Free Press repored. I was unable to open the article so, as of now I do not know when...

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

CBCF PHOENIX AWARDS , SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18, in Washimgton DC.

Harry Belafonte is one of 4 honorees, whose names i will verify later.

It was announced yesterday that President Barak Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend the event.
If everything works as planned, I will be there too.

Tacoma,Washington, June 25,2010

Harry Belafonte wiil appear at the University of Puget Sound on October 28 at 7 pm. He has been tapped for the Unversity Pierce Lecture series.
He will also be the kick-off speaker for the second Race and Pedaogy National Conference, which will be at UPS from Oct.28-30. The inaugural confernce in 2006 drew 2,000 participants.

APWire Saturday, 5 /15 /10
MLB Legend Willie Mays, musician/social activist Harry Belafonte, and tennis icon Billie Jean King received the Beacon Awards at the MLB Civil Rights lunchen Saturday in Cincinnati.
There were wonderful pictures of the honorees, in the middle of the stadium together, and individually,waving to the crowd , sitting in a car which brought them into the stadium. feeling obviously where they used to belong...

They will attend the MLB game to-night at 7:00

Cincinnati.com Friday, May 14

Enterainer Harry Belafonte born to be activist

Beacon Awards profile
............
" If you're born into poverty, you're somehow born into some aspect of activism because you have so much to confront ," explained Belafonte, 83, who will be honored at Major League Baseball Civil Rights game Saturday as a " Beacon of Hope."

A very interesting article, Harry Belafonte concluded by saying he "had to re-arrange his schedule," just coming back from Greece and Turkey, but"it's the first time I did not have to buy a ticket " (to a MLB game)

On Wednesday, May 12. Harry Belafonte was among four hoorees receiving the Hubert Hunphrey Civil and Human Rights Award at The Learship Conference gala dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, in Washington DC.
It was a grand event, and photograhers. official as well as personal, were busy. ( I have great pictures myself! )

Saturday, May 8

( Suddenle I realize WWII in Europe ended 65 years ago !! I marched up the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe with thousands of students, workers, soldiers on" rest and recration" in Paris, with Allied tanks, trucks , police cars and ambulalances with wounded people, mostly teen-agers who had been hanging on tanks, oblivious to the dangers in the most euphoric day of our lives, after 5 and1/2 years of war !
I know this is not the subject of this site, but Harry Belafonte enlisted in the US Navy, as a teen-ager, and even though he remained in the US, that is one more thing everybody should know about him and for which I am grateful to him. )

On Wednesday, May 12, Harry Belafonte will be one of the 4 recipients of the highest honor of The Civil Rights Organisation, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award , at a gala dinner in Washington ,DC.
Friends invited me so I'll be there, among 2000 people !

Monday,April 26

SNCC remarks by several reporters had one thing in common about " at 83, still breathtakingly handsome " Harry Belaonte, using different words: " Belafonte's words were not gentle ," he scolded ", " he chastised " former civil rights activists for not doing more after the civil rights laws were passed.
But students attending the conference were inspired to try to learn more about those times when their grand-parents had to fight for the rights that they take for granted.

In a long article in The Nation, Tom Hayden tells of an emotional passage of the torch from many elders to their children, who rose to stand in front of them. Among those named was Gina Belafonte, daughter of Harry and Juile Belafonte.

Saturday, April 17 / 10
RALEIGH,NC newsbserver.com

"Focus on modern injustice" , Belafonte tells SNCC reunion

At 83, singer Harry Belafonte can boast a deep connection to the Student Nonviolent Cordinating Committee: sending bail money to its leaders who were jailed for their protests, flying to Missippi during the Freedom Summer vote drive, entertaining activists with his famous Banana Boat song.

But at the 50th anniversary SNCC reunion at Shaw University on Friday, Belafonte shunned nostagia, instead he scolded the crowd...
"Where is our voice? Why are we so soft?" he asked the crowd.

Belafonte , who will perform at the concert t0-night, (really?), promissed to stay until Sunday.

On Monday night, April 19, he is to be honored by the National Dance Institute at a gala at The NOKIA theater in Manhattan.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Harry Belafonte has been very busy this week, and has been mentioned in sveral articles.

On Wednesday March 24 he was to replace fellow Tony- Award winner Lauren Bacall, wo was unable to travel due to illness, at the final event of this year's Rancho MirageSpeaker Series.
The lecture at the Annenbeg Center for Health Sciences at The Eisenower Meducal Center is sold out.

To-day, Saturday March 27, Mr. Harry Belafonte is the keynote speaker at a prostate cancer conference at the Rockfeller Research facility of the Memorial Sloan-Ketting Cancer Center in Manhattan. ( no time mentioned)

Nationa Dance Institue Gala

Actor, musician and humanitarian Harry Belafonte will be hnored by the National Dance Institute
at its 33rd annual gala , to be held at the Nokia Theater at Times Square on Monday, April 19, beginnig at 6pm.

March 13, 2010

March 7 marks the 45th annversary of the "Bloody Sunday" incident in Sema Alabama

Georgia Cingressman John Lewis, singer Harry Belafonte, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Lynda Johnson Robb, whose father, President Lyndon Johnson, signed The Voting Rigts Act of 1965 into law, attended the ceremony Selma.

March 1st, 2010

Harry Belafonte is 83 !
HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes from people around the world.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

dw world( German television)
Harry Belafonte
"Half a century ago, catchy tunes like ' Mattilda' earned him the nickname " King of Calypso"
Harry Belafonte,Afro-American singer and actor with an untiring dedication to social causes, celebrates his birthday on March 1....."

dw will celebrate it by programs on 28-02-10 at 16:55 (UTC), 20:55, 23:55 and on 01-03- 10 at16:55

February 26, 2010 paracentcentral.ca
West Ibdian luninaries celebrate past, look to the future

Saturday night at the Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto

...Harry Belafonte, the African American entertainer linked forever with Caribbean fo;k songs, is in town to join the celebration of Canada's link with the West Indies.

February 8,2010
The Guardian. uk
...
Last nonth,the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte and Danny Glove sent a letter to the Congress and the Obama administration, signed by 90 other people, asking for more human rights help ,(food,waster, medical and sanitation supplies,)and less military deployment, to aid Haiti.

( the letter was pulished in newspapers from all parts of the world)

JANUARY 16, 2010

To-morrow, January 17, 2010, Harry Belafonte will be the guest speaker at a breakast at Rowan University to celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday.

On Monday morning January 18, Harry Belafonte's first movie, 'Bright Road " ,will be shown on TCM
It is also starring Dorothy Dandridge and is very rarely shown. Teachers, watch it and be moved!

Greensboro,NC
On January 30, The 50th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement Museum will be celebrated at a Gala dinner and th Opening of the Civil Rights Museum.
Last year, Harry Belafonte receiveded The Alston-Jones Peacemaker Award there.

Newswire.ca
Toronto, January 14, 2010
Dr. The Honourable Harry Belafonte and The Honourable Mayan E. Francis, Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia To be honoured in Toronto, University of the West Indies.
...The gala will take place on February 27 at The Four Season