Today I want to feature an icon of film, music, and activism, Eartha Kitt.

Eartha Kitt was born Eartha Mae Kieth on January 17, 1927, to a mother of African American and Cherokee descent. She never knew her biological father and to this day, there is still a mystery surrounding her parentage. Born into a sharecropper’s life in South Carolina, Eartha’s early life was filled with domestic violence and abuse until she was surrendered by her mother into an aunt’s care, whereupon she moved from North Carolina to Harlem, New York. It was here that she attended the Metropolitan Vocational High School -- later renamed the High School of Performing Arts.

Eartha Kitt’s career took her across the world, to Europe and further abroad. She became a celebrated and distinctive singer and actress both on Broadway and the silver screen. One of her famous pieces include her rendition of “Santa Baby,” (1953), among others.

It was in 1968 when she was virtually exiled from the United States, following her expression of anti-Vietnam War statements during a White House luncheon with Lady Bird Johnson. She lived and worked in Europe and other countries during this time, until she was welcomed back and pardoned in 1978 by president Jimmy Carter -- at which time Eartha Kitt made a successful return to Broadway in the musical “Timbuktu!” A performance which earned her a Tony award nomination.

Eartha was also known as a strong and independent character with strong feminist values, as noted in several recordings of her. During her lifetime Eartha earned awards not only for her music, but for her television and cinematic performances. Eartha continued her film and recording career late into her life, until her passing in December of 2008.

For more information on this notable celebrity, please go to:

http://www.kittsville.org/eartha-kitt.html

This year, I want to personally do better with making black history month more than just a mark on the calendar. Recently I was made aware about one the most influential photographers, film makers, and activists of the 20th century, Gordon Parks. Check out this exert from the The Gordon Parks Foundation website below and go visit them for more information on Mr. Parks:

"Gordon Parks, one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, was a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. He left behind an exceptional body of work that documents American life and culture from the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. Parks was also a distinguished composer, author, and filmmaker who interacted with many of the leading people of his era—from politicians and artists to athletes and other celebrities." - Gordon Parks Foundation Website, https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org