S9 Ep. 42 Joshua Jelly-Schapiro on Harry Belafonte’s Extraordinary Art & Activism

Non-fiction writer Joshua Jelly-Schapiro joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Christian Barter to talk about the life of performer and activist Harry Belafonte, who died in 2023. Jelly-Schapiro, the author of a new biography of Belafonte, considers the entertainer’s distinctive combination of mainstream appeal and radical politics. He notes how Belafonte’s vault to stardom and success with the first LP to sell a million copies, Calypso, positioned him to speak across racial lines in a segregated society. Jelly-Schapiro discusses Belafonte’s nation-changing impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and his unique position as the only member of Martin Luther King’s inner circle who could also be asked to guest-host The Tonight Show. He reflects on how Belafonte, the son of Jamaican immigrants who grew up between Harlem and his parents’ country, navigated the performance of authenticity. Jelly-Schapiro reads from his book, Daylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He Made.To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan and Christian Barter.Joshua Jelly-SchapiroDaylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He MadeNames of New York: Discovering the City's Past, Present, and Future Through Its Place-NamesIsland People: The Caribbean and the WorldNonstop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas with Rebecca SolnitPòtoprens: The Urban Artists of Port-au-Prince with Leah Gordon and Katelyne Alexis Cuba Then, Cuba NowChris Ofili: Paradise Lost with Chris OfiliHarry BelafonteCalypsoIsland in the SunBuck and the Preacher“We Are the World”OthersBeetlejuiceSing Your Song (2011)Following Harry (2024)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.