Tony Bennett’s life wasn’t simply singing; he marched together with King, Belafonte for civil rights
Tony Bennett, the legendary singer whose smooth singing and timeless classics won the hearts of millions, has died in his native New York at the age of 96.
Though best known for his musical accomplishments, his tireless campaign for civil rights has left an indelible mark on history.
Bennett’s journey into activism began early in his life.
As a teenager, he was drafted into the army in 1944 during World War II. He served on the front lines in Europe and witnessed the horrors of war and its devastating impact on lives.
“The first time I saw a dead German, I became a pacifist,” Bennett revealed in a previous interview with Howard Stern.
“Every war is crazy, no matter where it takes place or what it is about. Fighting is the lowest form of human behavior. No one should have to go to war, especially an eighteen-year-old boy.”
His time in the military exposed him to the grim reality of racial segregation within the US armed forces.
After being caught dealing with a black soldier, Bennett was spat on by a senior Army official who gave him the unenviable job of digging up the bodies of dead military personnel.
He said the encounter motivated him to campaign for civil rights.
In 1965, Bennett participated in the historic Selma to Montgomery 50-mile march, alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to call for equality and justice for all.
“The mood was angry,” singer and activist Harry Belafonte said in an interview he and Bennett did in 2013. “The mood on the part of the movement, on the part of the civil rights movement, was rebellious, and the question is, what do we do in the face of this kind of anger and this kind of chaos?” And there was just… the bottom line was we’re going to come back as often as we need to.”
To rally the crowds during the march, Bennett performed “Just In Time” on a makeshift stage composed of dozens of empty coffins, a powerful symbol of the lives lost in the struggle for civil rights.
“I didn’t want to do it, but then Harry Belafonte told me what happened,” Bennett recalled. “Some black people were burned and petrol was thrown at them. When I heard that, I said, ‘I’ll go with you,'” he said.
Bennett continued to campaign for humanitarian causes throughout his life and championed equality.
He has been an outspoken ally on various social issues, using his platform to raise awareness of pressing global challenges, including the plight of refugees.
Bennett also refused to perform in South Africa during the apartheid era and later received the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ Humanitarian Award for his unwavering commitment to humanitarian work.
In addition, his services to civil rights earned him a place of honor as an inductee on the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.
Beyond his engagement, Bennett was a prolific musician with an impressive discography that spanned over 70 albums and earned him 19 Grammy awards.
His rendition of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” became a timeless classic and earned him a legion of devoted fans, including fellow artists Frank Sinatra and Lady Gaga.
Bennett is a Kennedy Center honoree and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. He is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Johanna and Antonia, and sons Danny and Dae.
He also had nine grandchildren.
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