Eartha & Kitt: A Daughter's Love Story in Black and White

In this unique combination of memoir and cultural history, we come to know one of the greatest stars the world has ever seen — Eartha Kitt — as revealed by the person who knew her best: her daughter. Eartha, who was a mix of Black, Cherokee, and white, is viewed by the world as Black. Kitt, her biological daughter, is blonde and light skinned. This is the story of a young girl being raised by her mother, who happened to be one of the most famous celebrities in the world.

Eartha had a very difficult childhood growing up in extreme poverty in South Carolina. She did not have her own familial ties to lean on after being abandoned by her own mother as a toddler and having never known who her father was. She and Kitt were each other’s whole world.

Eartha’s legacy is still felt today. Many of today’s most influential artists consistently mention Eartha, paying tribute to her groundbreaking stances on social issues such as racial equality and women’s and LGBTQ rights. And she is still widely remembered for her definitive portrayal of Catwoman in the classic Batman television series, voicing the character Yzma in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, and her many other movie and Broadway roles. In these pages, Kitt brings her mother to life so vividly, you will feel as if you'd met her. Filled with love, life lessons, and poignant laughter, Eartha & Kitt captures the passion and energy of two remarkable women.