Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt
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Born

January 17, 1927 Orangeburg County, South Carolina Died December 25, 2008 (aged 81) Weston, Connecticut

Occupation: Actress, Performer, Activist, Singer, Dancer Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) was an actress, singer, and performer known for her unapologetic attitude and unique style of singing. Most people may recognize her original Christmas Song "Santa Baby" and her role as the first black Catwoman in Batman.

Biography
Childhood: Eartha Mae Keith was born on January 27th 1927 on a cotton plantation in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. Her father was the son of the plantation owner and her mother lived on the plantation. It is assumed that Eartha was conceived by rape. Kitt was raised by her mother until the age of eight when she was sent to live with distant relatives. Her mother was no longer able to take care of her because her new husband, a black man, would not accept a (half) white child in his home. Throughout her childhood, Eartha was physically, verbally, and sexually abused by the families she lived with. As a teen she attended Metropolitan Vocational High School, a performing arts high school in New York City, where she fostered her passion for performing.

Career: Kitt began her career in 1943 as a performer with the Katherine Dunham Company where she adopted the stage name Eartha Kitt. She was a dancer, singer and became popular amongst the company for her unique voice and ability to sing in multiple languages. Her songs "C'est Ci Bon" and "Santa Baby" were internationally successful and propelled her career as a performer. Kitt spent years touring around the world, singing in over eleven different languages and becoming fluent in four languages including french. Eartha's theatric singing performances only made it natural for her to begin her career as an actress. She worked in television, broadway theater and film for the remainder of her career alongside her work as an activist.

Activism
Kitt worked closely with underprivileged children in the United States. The Kittsville Youth Foundation is an organization started in 1966 catered towards the care of Los Angeles' inner city youth. She also worked with Washington DC area's "Rebels With a Cause" in supporting their efforts to establish safe recreational areas for DC youth. Kitt believed children did not rebel and cause trouble simply because they are bad people. The system that works against minorities, specifically black youth in inner cities, create a lack of hope, dedication to hard work, and respect for authority. Eartha worked diligently to change this reality by working with grassroots organizations and by talking to people who had the ability to make change in the country.

White House Scandal
In 1968, Eartha Kitt was invited to a White House luncheon where she had to opportunity to speak to Lady Bird Johnson about the current climate of the United States at the time. The 60s was a decade that involved many social movements amidst the events caused by the Vietnam War. Once given the opportunity to speak with First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, Eartha bluntly stated: "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot." She later stated "The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don't have what we have on Sunset Blvd. for no reason. They are rebelling against something. There are so many things burning the people of this country, particularly mothers. They feel they are going to raise sons – and I know what it's like, and you have children of your own, Mrs. Johnson – we raise children and send them to war."

Kitt's passionate statement caused Lady Bird Johnson to exit the luncheon crying. Eartha Kitt's unpopular anti-war statements caused her to be blacklisted from American entertainment for ten years. Additionally, she was monitored by the FBI and CIA, being labeled a "sadistic nymphomaniac." Despite being closely monitored by the CIA, Kitt stated "I have nothing to be afraid of, and I have nothing to hide." Unable to find work in the United States, Eartha took the opportunity to live in Europe, where she would be able to practice the many languages she learned throughout her successful career. After ten years abroad, Kitt returned to the United States and continued her work as an actress and performer.

Eartha's Legend
Despite her lack of contribution to feminist theory and literature, many women and men look up to Eartha Kitt for her unbreakable spirit and fearlessness. Every role she played as an actress and every song she sang as a performer were empowering. Even in her performances in different languages, the songs were about empowering women. The lyrics of a song she sang in tagalog called Waray Waray translate to "the women of Waray Waray have muscles like steel and we can fight any battle." She was often ridiculed for her political activism including the White House scandal and her work during the apartheid in South Africa. Critics asked, "you above of all people would go to South Africa during apartheid time?" to which she replied "isn't that the time to go?" Finally, many young people may be familiar with her famous line in her bio-documentary titled All by Myself: Eartha Kitt Story. When asked if she was willing to compromise within a relationship Eartha replied "A man comes into my life and I have to compromise? For what? For what? A relationship is a relationship that has to be earned! Not to compromise for." Kitt's disregard for the patriarchy and fierceness for justice inspires women today.

Notable Works
 * 1953: "Santa Baby" Original Christmas Song
 * 1967-1968: Catwoman in Batman
 * 1982: Bio-Documentary All By Myself: Eartha Kitt Story
 * 1985: Priestess Chata in Miami Vice
 * 1992: Lady Eloise in Boomerang
 * 1998: Wicked Witch of the West in Broadway's The Wizard of Oz
 * 2000: The voice of Yzma in Emperor's New Groove
 * 2003: Madame Zeroni in Holes