I am both saddened and reflecting on the lives and deaths of three legendary black Americans, Harry Belafonte, Jim Brown, and Tina Turner, whose voices were lost to the world and,more importantly, their impact. With familial love, my childhood memories of Belafonte were to belt out “Day-O” at the mention of his name and,later, the look of strength over resignation when he marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King. Mr. Belafonte’s impact outside the entertainment arena rivaled, if not surpassed, his musical and acting talents. Belafonte’s refusal to perform before segregated audiences in the South—and be vocal about it led the wayfor otherentertainers to follow suit. President Kennedy named him a cultural advisor to the Peace Corps. His work with the American Civil LibertiesUnion is legion. When I was twelve, my great granny let me stay up late one night in February to watch him guest-host the Tonight Show; his guests were the ill-fated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, both assassinated months after their appearance.
Tearing through gaps in opponents’ defensive lines, violent collisions, then slowly rising from the ground as if he could not move and then doing it,again and again were my first memories of James Nathaniel Brown. As kids, my friends and I did not say his name without the modifier Big. To me, he will always be“Big” Jim Brown. Brown was like us in some ways. His pride overshadowed his imperfections. Fortunately for America, his pride extended past himself and spilled over into the life he insisted upon. That insistence included me and millions of other little black boys, men, and women who were voiceless, powerless, and invisible in many American strongholds. The story behind the famous photo of him alongside boxer Muhammad Ali, who had refused induction into the armed forces, showed the power of a black man who made civil and justice rights more than a march, punctuated by dogs and fire hoses. America stood up and took notice because some of its biggest heroes demanded more than cheers on a playing field or court.
The triumvirate of legendary figures now includes the spectacular Tina Turner. The misinterpreted and misused axiom of pulling oneself up by their bootstraps should come with a photo of Ms. Turner. Tina Turner was known not only for her vocal gymnastics but her million-dollar legs. Legs so revered they were reportedly insured for over three million dollars. Ms. Turner’s legacy is the spirit of resilience and exposing the truth of what living a life filled with pain, violence, and degradation can do. Despite the pain of poverty, physical and sexual abuse, hers was a story of redemption. Her Phoenix rose from the ashes like a private dancer, not for money but survival and respect. She beat the odds, a poor black woman from the south, abused by her husband and told she was too old to be a star at 40. She died as one of the world’s most loved and cherished women.
One can only hope that the world will remember three of the most important icons of my life for more than legs that danced and ran, or voices blessed by God. Their impact highlighted hidden suffering, civil injustices, and the need to, borrowing the phrase; if you see something, say something.
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