Occupation. She did not even know how old she was. 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. He died on May 10, 1992 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. Eartha’s parentage was uncertain. Daniel had 3 siblings: Audrey E Sturkie and 2 other siblings . Eartha Kitt's life was scarred by her failure to learn the identity of her white father, says daughter. Kitt Shapiro, Only Child Of Eartha Kitt, Honors Legendary Mother With Lifestyle Collection Of Home, Gift Items. So much of her life was a complete mystery as she only found her true date of birth when she was 71. Soon after her mother's death, Kitt was sent to live with another relative in New York, where she would later win a place with America's first black modern dance company, run by Katherine Dunham. There is an actor named Daniel Sturkie that was born in Lexington SC which is in the county next to one Eartha was born in. Perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style, Eartha Kitt’s 1953 recording of "Santa Baby" is still a favorite today. 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. She had always put 26 January 1926 on her passport, but actually she was born on 17 January 1927. Eartha Kitt studied at Metropolitan Vocational High School (Later: High School of Performing Arts). Copyright © 2021 Interactive One, LLC. My parents told me that when I was born, people came to the nursery in the hospital and would get into arguments when they saw that Eartha Kitts baby was a pudgy, white, girl. Her mother was Annie Keith – of Cherokee and African descent. “It was like much of my mother’s life, it was just a case of a door opening. In a 2013 biography, British journalist John Williams claimed that Kitt's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. Family. The father's name was blacked out. It was a female judge who stepped aside while we read the records on her desk. Now her daughter has set up a business called Simply Eartha in her mother's memory, as well as managing her estate. ", She added: "We had to get a lawyer and petition the court to get the records opened and this took about six to seven months. Shapiro said: "It was like much of my mother's life: it was just a case of a door opening. Across the street or across town, no job is too big or too small My mother's interpretation was that this was because the death was not natural: it was voodoo. WGBH-TV. Eartha Kitt. Eartha Kitt's daughter has revealed that the singer died without knowing the identity of her white father, after being denied the truth by officials in the American Deep South. Father: Daniel Sturkie (white sharecropper) Mother: Annie Mae Keitt Sister: Pearl (half sister) Husband: John William McDonald ("Bill", m. 6-Jun-1960, div. Singer, Actress, Dancer, Activist, Comedian, Author, Songwriter, Voiceover Artist. Father – Daniel Richard Sturkie (Reportedly) Mother – Annie Mae Keith He is named as such in the book America’s Mistress: The Life and Times of Miss Eartha Kitt, 2013, by John L. Williams. 1985: Eartha Kitt, Doc Cheatham, Bill Coleman, with George Duvivier & Co. (FR; SW8410) [note: album features four previously unreleased tracks from a Paris recording session in 1950; the original, unreleased 1950 performing credit was "Eartha Kitt with Doc Cheatham & His Trio"] Ariola Records releases 1989 to 1990. She never found out the identity of her father, although it was reported that Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor, was her biological dad. We flew down to see the records but were allowed just 15 minutes … She was very nervous and outside the judge’s chambers she went quiet. My mother remembered being brought to her mother who was dying and a baby was passed over her mother's body. 1989: I'm Still Here I knew the signs because before she went on stage she was always terrified. My mother was not accepted by the black community. Born in the tiny hamlet of St Matthew’s, South Carolina, Kitt’s mother, Annie Mae Keitt, abandoned her daughter at an early age when she found a new man with little time for the light-skinned Eartha. Eartha Kitt and daughter, Kitt Shapiro. My mother was referred to as a 'yellow gal', which was not a compliment. We were amazed. Much of Kitt's background remained shrouded in mystery, with the performer convinced that her date of birth was 26 January 1926. In a 2013 biography, British journalist John Williams claimed that Kitt's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. By then Kitt had divorced the father of her daughter, Bill McDonald, who was a white businessman and wounded Korean war veteran addicted to painkillers, and mother and daughter moved to London to relaunch her career in Europe. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Dr Daniel Richard Sturkie (12 Jul 1875–19 Jul 1958), Find a Grave Memorial no. Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer, actress, dancer, voice actress, comedienne, activist, author, and songwriter known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby", both of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. My mother shed a few tears and then the 15 minutes was up.”, According to Williams, Kitt’s father was a local white doctor name Daniel Sturkie, but Shapiro said: “I do remember the name because we were told they were one of the local white families, but I cannot recall whether it was suggested he was the father. My mother assumed it was their dirty little secret.". But it was only when Kitt was invited to give a speech at Benedict College in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, in 1997 that the singer managed to come to terms with her original home. My mother regarded England as a second home.". In an August 2013 biography, British journalist John Williams claimed that Eartha's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. I knew the signs because before she went on stage she was always terrified. The world-famous singer came from a dirt-poor background and only found out her date of birth when she was 71. Singer, Actress, Dancer, Activist, Comedian, Author, Songwriter, Voiceover Artist. According to Williams, Kitt’s father was a local white doctor name Daniel Sturkie, but Shapiro said: “I do remember the name because we were told they were one of the local white families, but I cannot recall whether it was suggested he was the father. Her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, in an interview with The Guardian, says her mother was denied access to her birth certificate up until then and had to even go through legal procedures to try to gain access. Black history month post: Eartha Kitt Eartha Kitt in 1960, performing on British television in “Sunday Night at the Palladium.” (From this reference.) Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day 2008, never knowing her father's name At that time, being a light-skinned black person in the black South was 'just as … ", Shapiro, who worked for her mother for more than 20 years, believes that this failure to find out her mother's origins explains her tortured relationship with the South and her own identity. She said: "She carried the scar of her rejection with her all her life. She was visibly nervous about what she was going to see. In an August 2013 biography, British journalist John Williams claimed that Kitt's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer, actress, dancer, comedian, activist, author, and songwriter known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby", both of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Possibly one of the Keitt family, 'the former slave owners,' or, far more likely, a recently bereaved local doctor called Daniel Sturkie. *According to her daughter, Eartha Kitt went to her grave at 81 without knowing the identity of her white father; due to officials in the American Deep South keeping it a secret from her. An out-of-wedlock child, Eartha Kitt was born in the cotton fields of South Carolina. Hughley Show on WZAK [LISTEN], Angie Stone Rocked Out “Family Unity In The…, Exclusive Look At Fox Empires Spring Premiere (Trailer), An Intimate Interview With R&b Singer KEM (Video), Yes, That Was Both Claudia and Kellyanne Conway…, Regina King Set Off ‘SNL’ With Kenan Thompson…, Netflix Drops Trailer For New The Notorious B.I.G.…, Tim Scott Shines Trump’s Shoes One Last Time…, Stacey Plaskett Slams Trump’s Impeachment Lawyers For Video…, The Burden Is On Senate Republicans And Trump’s…, Your email will be shared with wzakcleveland.com and subject to its, Yes, That Was Both Claudia and Kellyanne Conway on ‘American Idol’ Most Recently, Rachel Lindsay Ready to Walk Away From ‘Bachelor Nation’ Following Chris Harrison Controversy, LOCAL NEWS: Cleveland International Film Festival Presents “Bring Film Home” as Theme for 2021. My mother said that she had tried to find her birth certificate during the 1950s but was unsuccessful,” Shapiro shared. "To some extent, I think my arrival completed her because it gave her a family that she never had. About Daniel Sturkie From The Guardian's Obituary 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. Shapiro said: "We lived in Knightsbridge and later Fulham. It was a female judge who stepped aside while we read the records on her desk. Eartha Kitt was taken in by a relative called Aunt Rosa, but far from finding sanctuary fell victim to her abusive relative and from a young age was obliged to earn her keep by picking cotton. All Rights Reserved. Daniel … Eartha Mae Kitt (January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer, actress, dancer, activist and comedian, known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby", which were both US Top 10 hits. 26-Nov-1961) Boyfriend: Orson Welles (she denied this) 14 Σεπτεμβρίου 1979. Jul 14, 2019 - Eartha Kitt's daughter talks about the challenges of looking different than her mother. However, Kitt's daughter Kitt Shapiro has questioned the accuracy of the claim. Kitt, once called the “most exciting woman in the world,” led an extraordinary life as a world-famous singer and dancer, but her life really came under spotlight five years after her death with the biography “America’s Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times” by British journalist John Williams. She was invited to speak at this college and I went down with her. Kitt's extraordinary life and elusive past has come under the spotlight five years after her death, with publication of a biography called America's Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times by British journalist John Williams. Born in the tiny hamlet of St Matthew's, South Carolina, Kitt's mother, Annie Mae Keitt, abandoned her daughter at an early age when she found a new man with little time for the light-skinned Eartha. Worse, the abuse didn’t stop when she left home. According to her daughter, Kitt died at her home in Weston, Connecticut, her residence since 2002. In the 1960s she made the role of Catwoman her own when she became the first black woman to achieve mainstream TV success in America with Batman, even breaking racial taboos by flirting on screen with Adam West in the lead role. There were a lot of names." She was visibly nervous about what she was going to see. Shapiro, 51, said: "She was convinced her mother was poisoned. Eartha’s maternal grandmother was named Fanny Riley. "Singer And Actress Eartha Kitt Dies". In the 1960s, Kitt had a recurring role as Catwoman on TV's Batman, but her career waned after she criticized the Vietnam War during a luncheon with Lady Bird Johnson. 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.”, SIGN UP FOR THE WZAK CLEVELAND NEWSLETTER. [8] Kitt was raised by Anna Mae Riley, a black woman whom the girl believed to … Also did a quick check to see if Strom Thurmond was anywhere near St. Matthews. Kitt’s mother, Annie Mae Keitt, abandoned her daughter at an early age when she found a new man with little time for the light-skinned Eartha. ", Singer's search to discover more about her origins was frustrated by official secrecy, Eartha Kitt in a TV series in 1975 during her stay in Britain. “My mother never really felt comfortable in her own skin because she never really knew who she was until then. We flew down to see the records but were allowed just 15 minutes … She was very nervous and outside the judge's chambers she went quiet. It meant someone who thought they were better than everyone else even though my mother was just a child at the time. "She never found out her father's name, but always assumed he was white. 1965) Daughter: Kitt Shapiro (b. 25 Δεκεμβρίου 2008. So the kids found some information that eventually led us going back down to the South. During the company's tour to Paris and London, Kitt broke away to make a solo career and Britain would become a second home for Kitt and her daughter. Family. So the kids found some information that eventually led us going back down to the South.”, She added: “We had to get a lawyer and petition the court to get the records opened and this took about six to seven months. Once called the "most exciting woman in the world" by Orson Welles, Kitt became a singer and dancer whose suggestive and sensuous performances captured the public imagination in the 1950s. The father’s name was blacked out. My mother shed a few tears and then the 15 minutes was up. The courts still held it as legal to withhold the documentation. Possibly one of the Kitt family, ‘the former slave owners,’ or a recently bereaved local doctor called Daniel Sturkie. She was rejected for the colour of her skin ironically by both black and white. Say Brother. Shapiro said in an interview with the Observer: "My mother was 71 at the time and it was approaching the 21st century, and yet they were still protecting the name of the father even though he was clearly dead. During the speech someone asked her about her background and parents since she was from the area. They were protecting the white man because they would not have gone to that trouble to protect a black man. In MEMORY of EARTHA KITT on her BIRTHDAY - Career years: 1942 - 2008 Born Eartha Mae Keith, American singer, actress, dancer, voice actress, comedienne, activist, author, and songwriter known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby", both of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her former lover Charles Revson, the billionaire founder of Revlon cosmetics, even created a lipstick for her, calling it Fire and Ice. She was invited to speak at this college and I went down with her. Williams claims that Kitt's father was Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor. The singer, who died in 2008, wept when she set eyes on the certificate in 1998, only to find that her father's name had been blacked out, said Shapiro, her only child, who had accompanied her mother. He is known for his work on They Call Me Trinity (1970), Cast a Giant Shadow (1966) and Cruising (1980). ", Williams claims that Kitt's father was Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor. ... Williams claims that Kitt's father was Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor. Occupation. Shapiro, especially, was not sure that it was true or if it even mattered that his identity was revealed at this point. Eartha Kitt studied at Metropolitan Vocational High School (Later: High School of Performing Arts).. The legendary actress and singer Eartha Kitt had quite the difficult upbringing. He was born in 1924. 30788035, citing Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Swansea, Calhoun County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Lesley Hughes (contributor 46620397) . Ertha’s biological father may have been Daniel Richard Sturkie. NPR. She was horribly abused in the South. He was married to Suzanne Emilie Abeille Sturkie. See full bio ». Kitt's daughter, Kitt Shapiro, has questioned the accuracy of the claim. Education. All I ask, for those of you who need to be convinced, and are not willing to take my good word for it, is that you accept that the probability of this threesome is not zero . All Things Considered. Daniel B Sturkie, Jr was born circa 1924, at birth place, Georgia, to Daniel B Sturkie and Mary R Sturkie. My mother said that she had tried to find her birth certificate during the 1950s but was unsuccessful. ", Kitt became a leading light in the civil rights movement in the 1960s but when she condemned the Vietnam war on a visit to the White House her career in the US ended and the CIA branded her "a sadistic nymphomaniac". Same Day Xpress. Much of Kitt’s background remained shrouded in mystery, with the performer convinced that her date of birth was 26 January 1926.
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