Shari Belafonte

Belafonte in 2014, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Shari Lynn Belafonte

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 22, 1954

Ethnicity:
*father – African-Jamaican, as well as Dutch Jewish, Irish, and Scottish
*mother – African-American

Shari Belafonte is an American actress, model, writer, and singer. Her roles include the films If You Could See What I Hear, Time Walker, Speed Zone, and Fire, Ice and Dynamite, the made-for-tv movies Velvet, The Midnight Hour, and The Heidi Chronicles, and the shows Hotel, Beyond Reality, The Morning Show, and Sistas.

She is the daughter of actress Marguerite Belafonte (born Frances Marguerite Byrd) and singer and actor Harry Belafonte. Her half-sister is actress and producer Gina Belafonte. Shari is married to actor Sam Behrens. She was credited as Shari Belafonte-Harper during her marriage to her first husband Robert Harper.

Shari’s father was of one half African-Jamaican, one quarter Dutch Jewish, and one quarter Irish-Scottish, ancestry. Shari’s mother is African-American.

Shari’s paternal grandfather was named Harold George Belafanti/Belanfanti/Bellanfanti (the son of Isaac Belafanti/Belanfanti/Bellanfanti and Dorothy). Harold was born in Jamaica, the son of a Dutch Jewish father and a black Jamaican mother.

Shari’s paternal grandmother was Melvine Clarasteen Love (the daughter of William Alexander Love and Sarah Jane Clarke/Clark). Melvine was born in Alexandria, Saint Ann, Jamaica. William was a black Jamaican, and was the son of Angus Love and Rachel Cross. Sarah had Irish and Scottish ancestry, and was the daughter of Henry Clarke and Alice “Elsie” Allen.

Shari’s maternal grandfather was named Robert Byrd.

Shari’s maternal grandmother was named Martena Blue.

Sources: Genealogy of Shari Belafonte (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Information about the family of Shari’s paternal grandmother, Melvine Clarasteen Love – http://www.genealogy.com