Eartha Kitt, who purred and pounced her way across Broadway stages, recording studios and movie and television screens in a show-business career that lasted more than six decades, died on Thursday. My mother raised me to respect EVERY thing and EVERY one, and see the beauty in ALL. Thank you. I think adoption is fabulous. If everyone had raised their children the way Eartha raised Kitt in those days, how much better would our world be today? Stay encourage.. I don't usually respond to negative comments, but I am compelled to do so here because I feel there is an opportunity for dialogue on a subject that many struggle with and is very relevant in today's times.. As the most popular post on my blog, 'Why Don't You Look More Like Your Mother?', continues to receive a lot of attention, one recent comment has brought me back to the subject . , ( . She spent the latter part of the decade appearing in films, co-starring with legends like Sidney Poitier in The Mark of the Hawk (1957), Nat King Cole in St. Louis Blues (1958) and Sammy Davis, Jr. in Anna Lucasta (1959). You have chosen this person to be their own family member. https://www.geni.com/people/Daniels-Hutto/6000000055772940984 She had always put 26 January 1926 on her passport, but actually she was born on 17 January 1927., To some extent, I think my arrival completed her because it gave her a family that she never had.. They have very little knowledge about genetics. GREAT NEWS! Ive been compelled to get my dna testing done as well (which I recently did) and I watched an interview that sounded like the stories Ive heard about my great grandmother May who also had to flee the Carolinas because she was the masters biracial baby. The island is such a melting pot that the people there are diverse and rare beauties she stated. Watch Joe Little Give Vintage Performance at 216 Day in Cleveland! But, I do find it interesting that because (in this instance), I dont fit the multi-racial look for this person, they feel compelled to deny that I am even who I am. I absolutely adore that woman, we are both Capricorns and I relate to so much of her story from start to finish. *African-American (mother) Share this memorial using social media sites or email. The above-mentioned URL will take you to her profile. I dont know who or what Truth is but he or she is an idiot! Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Richard was the son of John Casper/Caspar Sturkie and Martha Ann Rickenbacker. The name she had for her father was William Kitt. There was an error deleting this problem. I dont usually respond to negative comments, but I am compelled to do so here because I feel there is an opportunity for dialogue on a subject that many struggle. DNA pulls from every which way, and it possible that it pulled Mrs. Earthas Caucasian DNA, which probably dominated the gene pull. ooxx. And since your mother was mixed on the lighter side and your father was white your skin tone is lighter. I loved her style. They are blessed with loving and interesting families. One of Kitts Instagram followers took to the comment section to ask her if John was still alive, to what she replied that he had died 14 years ago. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Kitt keeps herself active on social media as she usually posts photos showing a couple of aspects of her life. truth is so very wrong. Wow, it is 2018 and we are still having this conversation. Eartha Kitt Biography and Career: Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer and actress who was most known for her highly unusual singing style and her recordings from 1953 of "C'est si bien" and the Christmas novelty tune "Santa Baby." Kitt was born Eartha Mae Keith on January 17, 1927, and passed away on December 25, 2008. In the film, she played Helen of Troy. You do have your mother features. I am only making reference to my self and my life with my mother, in response to what Mr. or Ms.Truth has said. So the issue is not trivial. Some people are just so ignorant about these things. Its difficult for many of us to let go of the definition because doing so causes an identity crisis in ourselves. The 60-year-old book author opened up about the online remarks she's received about not looking the . Jerushia Hoovers father was German, and her mother is said to be the daughter of Alexander McGillivray (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_McGillivray), who was of Scottish, French, and Creek (Muscogee) Native American descent. February 16, 2022. She was not one to judge. A British journalist named John Williams wrote a biography about her titled "America's Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times" and claimed Kitt's dad was Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor. Im so sorry you had to deal with that nonsense. She could be another Sentor Strong Thurmond case which is why the black-outed the name on the birth certificate. She did indeed find and read her birth certificate, but her father's name was blacked out. Kitt, you replied eloquently to someone who knows nothing & desires to shade the truth of enlightenment. The woman who gave birth to Kitt was of African-American and Cherokee Native-American origin, and she worked as a sharecropper. 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D.L. This is not to take away from those who choose to call themselves whatever they choose. Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world.". Hughley is best known as the original host of BET's ComicView from 1992-1993, the eponymous character on the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys and performed in The Original Kings of Comedy. When asked what race she identified with, she would say, the human race. Being a woman of color, I am always questioned about my nationality. But in 2013, Eartha's biography writer claim that she was the daughter of a white local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. Her official birth details were established only in 1997, when she challenged a group of students to find the certificate that records her as having been born Eartha Mae Keith in the town of North, South Carolina. Kitt's daughter, Kitt Shapiro, has questioned the accuracy of the claim. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Unfortunately we do reside in a society of people that are Hateful and Mean spirited, your mother was truly a wise woman. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. Right. Beautifully written, eloquently explained! However, heres what Id like to say about you. Specifically: Ashes interred in a birdbath at a private residence. Some looked black. It's thought her white father was instead Daniel Sturkie. Here's Where to Find the Best Corned Beef in Cleveland! https://www.geni.com/people/Ann-Williams/6000000055772587229, https://www.geni.com/people/Eartha-Kitt/6000000012988210038. Ann was the daughter of The Rev. Kitt was brought in to play the feline femme fatale, adding her own distinct voice and mannerisms to the comic book villain. As the most popular post on my blog, Why Dont You Look More Like Your Mother?, continues to receive a lot of attention, one recent comment has brought me back to the subject of race, specifically, mixed race, and the desire of some truly ignorant people to deny the existence of others, because they do not fit the stereotype of how mixed race people should look. Looking at her childhood pictures, it looks like Kitt tans easily and her hair appeared to have a coarser texture. She was 81 and lived in Connecticut. Theres absolutely no way anyone can believe that these pics of a white child, actually came from..[biologically] from Eartha Kitt. Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world". I just heard about Eartha Kitt Day today. You dont have to explain nothing to ignorant people. British journalist John Williams claimed that Kitt's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. You may contact her on Fb, which you can find by clicking the link here. So funny that a blonde woman with fair skin has a gorgeous brown-skinned mother and that just drives some people cray ????. window.addEventListener( 'loadOrInteraction', function() { Have you ever thought of doing a DNA test, not to prove that you are Mrs. Eartha Kitts daughter? Eartha Kitts many phone numbers have been released on Google and the internet, but none of them truly function. [need quotation to verify] Diana Ross has stated that when she was a member of The Supremes, she modeled both her appearance and her singing style after that of Kitt. Dear Kitt, Where do I beginThere is a story in my family, that my aunt Myrtis was the woman who assisted your mom in getting the audition with Katherine Dunham. Her rendition of the line constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon became well known if only for the stars distinctive purr. Shapiro, who now lives in Connecticut, said: In 1927, to be a light- skinned black person in the South was just as horrible as being a black person in the white South. Eartha Kitt, who did not have a biological father, was born in the South Carolina cotton fields as an illegitimate kid. (It's Never Too Late) (2001, self-help, with Tonya Bolden), Do you know something we don't? And just speaking from a purely biological standpoint, a mostly white woman who has a baby with a mostly white man will mostly have brown-skinned children; all different shades of brown (like me). Genes are a funny thing and I dont know what the possibilities are. I find a lot of satisfaction that so many decent people have responded to what can only be described as a thoughtless comment. Try again later. The late 1980s also saw Kitt beginning to act more regularly in features, most typically in exotic or outlandish turns in films including The Serpent Warriors (1986), Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) and the Eddie Murphy vehicle, Boomerang (1992). Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. People used to say to my mother when I was a small child oh why did you adopt that little girl? rcds.appendChild(rcel); Eartha Kitt was an American singer, actress, dancer, comedian, activist, author, and songwriter. Kitt, who is fluent in several languages, decided to remain in Paris after the Dunham firm relocated to the United States. A bedtime story my mother often read to me The Sneetches, by Dr Seuss. Thanks for reminding all of us of the wonderful human being your mom, Eartha Kitt, was and how there should be more like her everywhere. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. People are stupid. I dont trust many people. She performed with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe on a tour of Europe, sang solo at a cabaret in Paris, and became the talk of the Continent as a result of her success. Their children are a variety of colors. She was a skilled singer with a distinctive voice, and she recorded the hits Lets Do It, Champagne Taste, Cest si Bon (which Stan Freberg famously burlesqued), Just an Old Fashioned Girl, Monotonous, Je Cherche un Homme, Love for Sale, Id Rather Be Burned as a Witch, Katibim (a Turkish melody), Mink, Schmink, Un During her time spent playing throughout Europe, Kitt became fluent in French, which contributed to the development of her own distinctive style. Blues, and she fought that need to be categorized. My daughter was born blue-eyed. I LOVED it when she came on stage and kicked that leg up in the air.???? She gave performances in Monotonous, Uska Dara, Cest si bien, and Santa Baby in 1954 independently filmed version of the revue called New Faces, which was marketed by 20th Century Fox. In the photo, a very young Kitt was seen wearing a blue and white dress and a white headband while playing next to John, who wore black pants and matching shirt. My point is mixed race children show up in a diverse number of ways. We have set your language to Now, one of the things I often mention when I speak or give interviews, is the great joy my mother got from having given birth to this mutt, a child who would be hard to confine to one racial box. Although her acting appearances on film and television waned later in her career, Kitt lent her famous voice for several animated projects. Kitt made a successful comeback to Broadway ten years later in the original production of the musical Timbuktu! Anyway other people often considered the four of us to belong to different races. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30788035/daniel-richard-sturkie , record labels wanted her to be Jazz. I wish I could have met her. Im always so amazed at the insensitivity of some as I read the Truth comments. The person who left the original post which questioned your race and background is extremely ignorant and lacking in wisdom and decorum. I remember hearing your mother in an interview stating that she was part Native American as well. Yet, we know he is herswe were there when she carried him. Earthas mother, Annie Mae Keith (later Annie Mae Riley), soon went to live with a black man who refused to accept Eartha because of her relatively pale complexion; Eartha was raised by a relative named Aunt Rosa, in whose household she was abused. You share much of your lovely mother down to her sweet nature. Im certain you can get your Mothers biological Father, through DNA / genetics match sites. I think adoption is fabulous. There is a problem with your email/password. In 1968 Kitt made statements critical of the Vietnam War at a White House luncheon, reportededly reducing First Lady Lady Bird Johnson to tears. However, by the 1950s, she had sung and danced her way out of poverty and into the spotlight. People who know me will tell you that I tend to shy away from controversy. Eartha Mae Kitt (born Keith) was born on month day 1927, at birth place, South Carolina. There are many African Americans who were able to pass for Caucasians back in the day. Indeed, John Williams, the author of a biography called America's Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times, believed Kitt's father was Sturkie, though Shapiro says 'there were a lot of names'. Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer and actress who was most known for her highly unusual singing style and her recordings from 1953 of Cest si bien and the Christmas novelty tune Santa Baby. Kitt was born Eartha Mae Keith on January 17, 1927, and passed away on December 25, 2008. Daniels father was Calvin Richard Sturkie (the son of Richard Benjamin Sturkie and Jerusha Jeffcoat). For this performance, Kitt was nominated for a Tony Award. She was referred to by Orson Welles as the most interesting woman in the world at one point. I have always been fascinated by your mothers work and outspokenness.. Neden Best Buddies? Deal with it. Judicial Circuit," Stokes continued. And later, the singer came to believe that this woman might've secretly been her true, biological mother. Kitt began her professional career in 1942, and she made her debut on Broadway in 1945, performing in the original production of the musical Carib Song. She would say to me, You are like a walking United Nations. Does Truth have a degree in genetics? I was surprised to find that I was also 30% Caucasian. There, she quickly became well-known for her performances in nightclubs. I am a mutt, black white and Cherokee, and I have a brother who has several children with his wife who has black and white in her genealogy as well. One of them showed Kitts firstborn, Jason Shapiro. I am huge fan of your mothers and watched many of her interviews. It is a known and accepted fact. John Williams and Mary Wolfe were probably of British Isles ancestry. Ex-wife of John William McDonald Father - Daniel Richard Sturkie (Reportedly) Mother - Annie Mae . To accuse you of being adopted is sillyyour mom couldnt go into certain places because of her skin color at the time,but they allowed her to adopt a white baby??? The name she had for her father was William Kitt. It was a drag not to have my own tribe. Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008, from colon cancer in her home in Weston, Connecticut. Hello Kitt. From The Guardian's Obituary. That is just what happens when a biracial person starts having children. https://www.geni.com/people/Jerusha-Jeffcoat-Sturkie/6000000016130822897 Truth was just expressing an opinion and I can understand that hurts and you feel it is wrong, but its just an opinion and I do think that we shouldnt shun people if they have an opinion that is contrary to ours. I e always been asked if Im adopted? These pics show a completely WHITE child who looks absolutely nothing like Eartha Kitt. Kitt had a co-starring role in the off-Broadway musical Mimi le Duck from the month of October until the beginning of December 2006. Nearly always, when someone expresses an opinion based on ignorance, the motivation is not what they are really saying, but rather a prejudice of some sort. Day, December 25, 2008, from colon cancer in her career, Kitt was American. So sorry you had to deal with that nonsense Reportedly ) mother - Mae... Four of us to belong to different races, in response to what can only be as! 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