Julie Robinson Belafonte, a dancer, actress, and long-time activist who was married to legendary singer Harry Belafonte for 50 years, has died. She was 95.
As reported by the New York Instances, Julie handed away on Saturday, March 9, in Los Angeles at an assisted residing facility. She had been residing on the facility for the previous yr and 9 months after residing for many years in Manhattan. The reason for loss of life was stated to be cardio pulmonary failure.
“Our mom left us inside months of our father, Harry Belafonte, her first and solely husband and companion of fifty years till their divorce in 2007,” Gina and David Belafonte stated in a joint assertion, per Wate.com. “Julie’s journey was intertwined with love, as she grew to become his political companion and spouse. Collectively, they shared a life stuffed with political organizing, activism, love, laughter, and inventive inspiration.”
As an interracial couple, Julie being white and Harry Black Caribbean-American, they “endured racial hatred and abuse via the years when a excessive profile relationship and marriage between a Black man and a White girl was harmful,” wrote Gina and David.
However collectively, Julie and Harry stood tall and have been ardent activists in the course of the Nineteen Sixties Civil Rights period. Julie marched alongside her husband in numerous protests towards racial discrimination and helped plan and host numerous fundraisers for civil rights teams.
“Bearing kids in that local weather was an affirmation of their dedication to the necessity for variety on this planet,” Gina and David continued. “Collectively, they navigated the complexities of life with unwavering dedication, leaving an indelible mark on the world round them. Their house was a tapestry of inclusivity, a sizzling spot for artists and political luminaries to assemble, and it’s comforting for us to know that she is becoming a member of our father after a lifetime collectively.”
Exterior of her activism, Julie was a principal dancer with the internationally acclaimed Katherine Dunham Dance Firm and likewise toured and carried out with Harry, later designing his touring costumes.
As an actress, she appeared within the movies Mambo (1954), Lust For Life (1956), A Secure Place (1971), and Buck and the Preacher (1972). On tv, she was featured as a dancer on the Belafonte, New York 19 particular in 1960 and as herself on 60 Minutes, Sing Your Music, and Unsung Hollywood.
In later years, Julie grew to become a documentary filmmaker, producing the 2009 movie Flags, Feathers and Lies concerning the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the resilience of the Mardi Gras Indians.
“Julie’s legacy extends far past her fast household, touching the lives of nieces, nephews, and numerous admirers who have been lucky sufficient to cross her path,” Gina and David wrote. “Allow us to keep in mind her vibrant spirit, her ardour for dance, artwork, politics, immaculate style, and the unwavering love she shared together with her household.”
Julie and Harry divorced in 2007; Harry handed away from congestive coronary heart failure at his house on the Higher West Facet of Manhattan on April 25, 2023, on the age of 96.
She is survived by her two kids and their households; daughter Gina Belafonte, husband Scott McCray, and their daughter Maria; and son David Belafonte, spouse Malena Belafonte, and their two kids Sarafina and Amadeus, and her step kids Adrienne Biesemeyer Belafonte and Shari Belafonte, and their households.
