Harry Belafonte

"Acceptance speech 2004 Global Exchange Human Rights Award"

"Even with all the difficulties and the frustrations that we feel—those of us who have been consistent in this journey—what makes it so remarkably attractive and encouraging are the men and women you m…"

"I could have made $2bn or $3bn — and ended up with some very cruel addiction — but I chose to be a civil rights warrior instead."

"My social and political interests are part of my career. I cannot separate them. My songs reflect the human condition. The role of art isn't just to show life as it is, but to show life as it should b…"

"I think most important is that we have words that attempt to give us moral cleansing, so that somehow we hold those responsible for crashing into the Twin Towers and killing over 2,000 Americans citiz…"

"Each and every one of you has the power, the will and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you live in. … You should go through life knowing, "I am somebody."

"The sham engineers of the music industry, who steer the wheels of public opinion, are driving the good features of calypso into the ground. I shudder to think what these greedy men will eventually do …"

"I have very little regard for consensus if it blinds you to the truth."