Harry Belafonte, a beloved singer, actor and activist credited with introducing the United States to Caribbean music and bankrolling the Civil Rights Movement, died at his Manhattan home on Tuesday at 96, according to his publicist. The cause of death was congestive heart failure.

Belafonte first achieved fame in the 1950s with film and musical theater roles that broke new ground for Black Americans in the entertainment industry.

His career truly took off, however, when he recorded wildly popular renditions of Caribbean folk and calypso songs, including, most famously, Day-O (Banana Boat Song). The King of Calypso, as he became known, used the considerable wealth and publicity he earned to advance civil rights and other progressive causes right until his death.

The election of former President Donald Trump in 2016 reignited Belafontes passion for social justice anew. He served as a co-chair of the national Womens March protests against the new president in January 2017.

Im playing a role that I feel equipped and I feel knowledgeable about, Belafonte said in an interview at the time. Im going to be 90 years old in a couple of weeks, and I think that to be of mind and capacity to be able to still contribute to helping to make our union a better place, to help our country become a better place, is a joyous task.

Belafonte is survived by his wife Pamela, four children, two stepchildren and eight grandchildren.