#50: Boss Move
Harry Belafonte was one of the most significant, trailblazing Black entertainers in US history. During an era of blatant racism and strict segregation, Belafonte was able to put his foot down and stand up for his rights while still retaining his power in the industry. He’s known for negotiating one of the earliest “pay-or-play” contracts when he signed on for a TV show with CBS in 1959.
Basically, a “pay-or-play” contract states that the performer gets paid regardless of whether their program aired on TV or not. Belafonte pushed to have Black and white performers together on-screen, which was a no-go back then. Belafonte stood his ground and refused to segregate his performers. CBS was afraid to air the episode, so Belafonte walked away with his paycheck. What an iconic move.