On April 21, 1948, 21-year-old Harlem-born actor Harry Belafonte made his off-Broadway debut at The 92nd Street Y, New York in Sojourner Truth with the American Negro Theatre. Based on the life of the Black abolitionist and early civil rights icon, the play earned the young actor what he called, in his memoir, “my first critical praise in print” — a column written by activist and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had attended the performance.
Seven years and a Tony Award later, Belafonte returned to kick off 92NY’s Junior Entertainment Series performing folk songs especially for children. He would grace our stage four more times through the ensuing decades. A consummate musician and actor, Belafonte consistently foregrounded the struggle for Black liberation throughout his career. He marched, protested, and organized with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the front lines of the civil rights movement throughout the ‘60s as his star continued to rise; he redefined the relationship between politics and pop culture. Alongside fellow activists and 92NY alums Paul Robeson, Sidney Poitier, and James Baldwin, he became a civil rights icon himself.
In Belafonte’s hands, art and activism were inextricably linked — an indelible voice in folk and pop music, a towering figure on the stage and screen, Belafonte proved that entertainers could affect social change. We are humbled and honored that he is part of 92NY’s story. We honor his legacy — may his memory be a blessing.
Over the past 150 years, 92NY has grown into one of New York City’s — and the world’s — most unique and influential cultural institutions. Some of the most fascinating thinkers, artists, writers and entertainers of the 20th and 21st centuries have come here to develop new work, teach, learn and share ideas. That Time When … spotlights favorite moments from the annals of The 92nd Street Y, New York.