Harry Belafonte is turning 90 in a few weeks, and he's planning to use the milestone to release an album that will underscore part of his life's work - fostering racial harmony.
A multi-ethnic children's choir will perform a new version of his classic "Island in the Sun" for a new anthology of his music, "When Colors Come Together: The Legacy of Harry Belafonte." He cowrote the song for the 1957 film "Island in the Sun." It generated controversy at the time for its exploration of race and interracial romance.
"Most of the things that fuel prejudice, that fuel hate … are contrived," Belafonte, who turns 90 on March 1, said in a news release. "The differences that exist between us should be things that attract us to one another, not alienate us from one another."
Belafonte has been a longtime civil rights activist, marching with the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is an honorary cochair of the Women's March on Saturday in Washington.
The album is set for release on Feb. 24.
DeGeneres sets People's Choice record
Ellen DeGeneres set a record at the People's Choice Awards, becoming the winningest entertainer in the show's history.
DeGeneres picked up three trophies at Wednesday's ceremony for a career total of 20 People's Choice wins.
Other stars taking home crystal statuettes this year included Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp, Sofia Vergara, Kevin Hart, Melissa McCarthy and Justin Timberlake. Tyler Perry received the humanitarian award at the show, hosted by JoelMcHale.