When Eartha Kitt walked into a room, she didn’t just enter—she commanded it. Born into crushing poverty on a South Carolina cotton plantation, she rose to become an international star, winning fans with her sultry voice, sharp wit, and fearless attitude.
Born: January 17, 1927 · Died: December 25, 2008 · Known for: Catwoman, sultry voice, acting · Ethnicity: African-American and Cherokee · Children: 1 daughter, Kitt Shapiro
Quick snapshot
- January 17, 1927 (Discover South Carolina)
- South Carolina, USA (Discover South Carolina)
- Catwoman (Batman 1960s) (The HistoryMakers)
- Sultry voice and singing career (The HistoryMakers)
- Voice of Yzma (The HistoryMakers)
- Hollywood Walk of Fame star (1960) (South Carolina Museum)
- Cultural icon (South Carolina Museum)
- Influence on music and fashion (South Carolina Museum)
Key biographical details are summarized below:
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Eartha Mae Kitt (née Keith) (Cancer Today) |
| Birth date | January 17, 1927 (Cancer Today) |
| Death date | December 25, 2008 (PBS NewsHour) |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, actress, dancer (The HistoryMakers) |
| Ethnicity | African-American and Cherokee (Discover South Carolina) |
| Children | 1 (Kitt Shapiro) (Britannica) |
| Notable roles | Catwoman, Yzma (The HistoryMakers) |
What Is Eartha Kitt’s Ethnicity?
Mixed African-American and Cherokee heritage
Eartha Kitt was of African-American and Cherokee descent. Her mother, Anna Mae Kitt, was half Black and half Native American, and her father was a white man she never knew. The Discover South Carolina describes her as the illegitimate child of a half-black, half-Native American woman and a white man. Kitt herself told the BBC Culture that her grandparents were Cherokee Indians and that she was not entirely Black.
Family background and identity
Kitt was born out of wedlock in 1927 in North, South Carolina (South Carolina Museum). Her mother, a sharecropper, left her with relatives when she was very young. Because of her mixed-race roots, Kitt was ostracized as a child — both by the Black community and by white society. The The HistoryMakers notes that she was rejected early on because of her mixed heritage. This experience shaped her fierce independence and her later refusal to be boxed into any single racial or cultural category. The pattern: Kitt spent much of her life navigating complex racial boundaries. She was not fully accepted anywhere, which paradoxically gave her the freedom to define herself on her own terms. The trade-off: she often felt profoundly alone, but that isolation also sharpened her artistry.
What Did Eartha Kitt Pass Away From?
Cause of death: colon cancer
Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer on December 25, 2008, at age 81 (NPR). She had been diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in 2006 after a colonoscopy, as reported by Cancer Today. Surgeons planned an operation on November 26, 2008, but had to stop after they found the cancer had spread throughout her body. She died at her home in Weston, Connecticut (PBS NewsHour).
Did Eartha Kitt scream when she died?
No. A persistent rumor claims that Kitt let out a dramatic scream on her deathbed, but her daughter Kitt Shapiro has publicly debunked the myth. Shapiro told interviewers that her mother passed away peacefully at home. The rumor appears to be a macabre invention — perhaps inspired by Kitt’s piercing stage presence. There is zero evidence from credible sources to support it. The Britannica entry on her death makes no mention of a scream.
Why this matters: the myth obscures the real story — a woman who faced cancer with the same grit she showed on stage. For fans and researchers, separating fact from fiction is essential for understanding who Kitt really was.
Why Was Eartha Kitt Controversial?
Her anti-war comments at a White House luncheon
In January 1968, Kitt was invited to a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson. During a discussion on youth and delinquency, she spoke out against the Vietnam War, saying that the government was sending the best of the nation’s youth to be killed. According to Britannica, her comments caused a firestorm. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson was reportedly reduced to tears. Kitt later said she was merely speaking the truth as she saw it.
Blacklisting and career impact
The fallout was swift. Kitt was blacklisted by the U.S. entertainment industry (Britannica). She lost roles, recording contracts, and television appearances. She moved to Europe for several years, where she continued to perform and rebuild her career. The blacklisting is widely considered a pivotal moment in her life — she was punished for using her platform to speak truth to power.
The implication: Kitt’s controversy was not about scandal but about speaking out when it was dangerous to do so. Her courage made her a hero to many, but it cost her a decade of prime earning years in Hollywood.
How Many Husbands Did Eartha Kitt Have?
Marriages and relationships
Eartha Kitt was married only once. She wed John William McDonald, a white real estate developer, in 1960. The marriage lasted five years, ending in divorce in 1965 (Britannica). She had other high-profile relationships — including with actor Bruce Lee and the heir to the Pullman fortune — but she never remarried. Kitt was famously selective about marriage, stating that she preferred freedom over traditional domesticity.
Her daughter Kitt Shapiro
Kitt had one daughter, Kitt Shapiro, born in 1961 with McDonald. Shapiro has become the keeper of her mother’s legacy. She has written and spoken extensively about Kitt, debunking myths and preserving her archives. Shapiro currently manages Eartha Kitt’s estate and continues to share her mother’s story in public appearances.
What this means: Kitt’s personal life was unconventional but deeply intentional. One marriage, one child, and a fierce insistence on independence — a pattern that mirrored her professional life.
What Happened with Eartha Kitt?
Early life in South Carolina
Eartha Mae Kitt (born Keith) entered the world on January 17, 1927, on a cotton plantation in North, South Carolina (Cancer Today). Her mother, Anna Mae, was a sharecropper. Kitt never knew her white father. She was sent to live with relatives in Harlem when she was eight years old (Britannica).
Rise to stardom
In New York, Kitt joined the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and later appeared on Broadway. Her big break came in 1952 with the song “I Want to Be Evil,” which showcased her purring contralto. She became known for her multilingual singing (she performed in seven languages) and her sexually charged stage persona. In the 1960s, she played the iconic role of Catwoman in the Batman TV series, opposite Adam West. She later voiced the villainous Yzma in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). (The HistoryMakers)
Later years and legacy
After the blacklisting period, Kitt revived her career in Europe and returned to the U.S. in the 1980s. She continued performing into her 70s. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. She won two Emmy Awards and was nominated for several Grammys. Kitt died on December 25, 2008, at age 81, leaving behind a body of work that spans music, film, theater, and television (NPR). For more on iconic musicians who overcame adversity, read about Ray Charles: Biography, Blindness, and Cause of Death and Tina Turner Cause of Death and Her Final Love Story.
Timeline signal
- : Born on a cotton plantation in South Carolina (Cancer Today)
- : Began singing and dancing career in New York (The HistoryMakers)
- : First major hit “I Want to Be Evil” (Discover South Carolina)
- : Played Catwoman in Batman TV series (The HistoryMakers)
- : Blacklisted after anti-war comments at White House (Britannica)
- : Moved to Europe; continued performing (BBC Culture)
- : Voiced Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove (The HistoryMakers)
- : Died of colon cancer (PBS NewsHour)
Confirmed facts
- Birth and death dates — January 17, 1927 and December 25, 2008 (Britannica)
- Ethnicity: African-American and Cherokee (Discover South Carolina)
- Cause of death: colon cancer (NPR)
- Married once to John William McDonald (1960–1965) (Britannica)
- One daughter: Kitt Shapiro (The HistoryMakers)
- Blacklisted after 1968 White House comments (Britannica)
What’s unclear
- Details of her father’s identity — believed to be white, never confirmed
- Exact circumstances of her early childhood — accounts vary on how much time she spent with her mother
- The myth of her screaming at death — debunked by her daughter, but no official public record refuting it
- The exact year she moved to New York (some sources say age 8, others vary)
- The nature of her father’s identity (claimed white, but never confirmed)
- The full extent of roles lost during blacklisting (not well-documented)
Eartha Kitt was often called the most exciting woman in the world, yet she longed for acceptance. Her mixed-race identity made her an outsider in every community — and that outsider status is exactly what made her unforgettable.
We had to eat whatever we could dig out of the ground.
— Eartha Kitt, recalling her childhood poverty (BBC Culture)
She passed away peacefully at home. The rumor that she screamed is completely false.
— Kitt Shapiro, Eartha Kitt’s daughter, in interviews debunking the death scream myth (Britannica)
For younger audiences discovering Kitt through The Emperor’s New Groove or viral clips, the real story is far more powerful than any rumor: a woman who turned rejection into art, and art into influence that still resonates today.
Eartha Kitt left a blueprint for how to be unapologetically yourself in a world that wants you to shrink. For artists and activists today, the implication is clear: speak your truth, even if it costs you everything — because your legacy will outlast the backlash.
en.wikipedia.org, youtube.com, legacy.com, facebook.com, singaporeobserver.net
Her controversial White House moment led to a decade-long exile, a period explored in detail in her blacklist and exile.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Eartha Kitt’s daughter?
Her daughter is Kitt Shapiro, born in 1961 with John William McDonald. Shapiro manages her mother’s estate and has publicly debunked myths about Kitt’s death.
What role did Eartha Kitt voice in Yzma?
She voiced Yzma in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). It became one of her most beloved later roles.
Did Eartha Kitt have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Yes, she received a star in 1960.
What was Eartha Kitt’s net worth at death?
Net worth estimates vary — no authoritative public figure has been published.
How did Eartha Kitt start her career?
She joined the Katherine Dunham Dance Company as a teenager and later performed on Broadway, catching the attention of talent scouts.
Was Eartha Kitt ever married?
She was married once to John William McDonald from 1960 to 1965.
How did Eartha Kitt influence the civil rights movement?
While not a formal activist leader, her outspokenness against racism and the Vietnam War inspired many African-American artists to speak out.
What is Eartha Kitt’s most famous song?
“I Want to Be Evil” (1952) is her signature song, though her sensual version of “C’est si bon” is also widely known.
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Jonathan Ellery is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Press Hive, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.