Eartha Kitt: Biography, Ethnicity, Cause of Death, and Controversies

Eartha Kitt lived several lives in one: a South Carolina cotton picker who became a Broadway star, a sultry singer whose “Santa Baby” still plays every December, and a political activist who risked her career to speak truth to power. Her story is one of remarkable talent, fierce independence, and a price paid for honesty.

Born: January 17, 1927 ·
Died: December 25, 2008 ·
Known for: Catwoman, Santa Baby ·
Ethnicity: African-American and Cherokee ·
Career span: 1943–2008

What is Eartha Kitt’s ethnicity?

African-American and Cherokee heritage

Eartha Kitt was of mixed African-American and Cherokee descent. Biography reports that her father was white and her mother, Annie Mae Keith, was of African-American and Cherokee ancestry. PBS NewsHour similarly described her as having a Black and Cherokee mother and a white father.

Biracial identity in early 20th century America

Born in segregated South Carolina in 1927, Kitt experienced firsthand the racism that defined the Jim Crow South. Her mother, a sharecropper, left her with relatives when she was very young. NPR noted that several accounts describe a difficult childhood marked by abuse and rejection. Kitt later said, “We had to eat whatever we could dig out of the ground,” recalling the extreme poverty of her early years.

The implication: Kitt’s mixed heritage gave her a distinctive appearance and voice that set her apart, but it also placed her in a precarious social position in an era when biracial identity was rarely acknowledged.

What did Eartha Kitt pass away from?

Colorectal cancer

Eartha Kitt died of colorectal cancer on December 25, 2008, at age 81. NPR reported that she died at her home in Weston, Connecticut, surrounded by family. PBS NewsHour and Biography also confirmed colon cancer as the cause of death.

Final years and health decline

Kitt had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2006, as reported by Cancer Today. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, and initial treatment appeared successful. However, follow-up tests in November 2008 suggested the cancer had returned. Surgeons stopped an operation on November 26, 2008 after finding the cancer had spread throughout her body. She entered hospice care shortly before her death.

Did she scream when she died?

Reports that Eartha Kitt screamed when she died are widely considered a myth. No credible source has substantiated this claim. The confirmed medical record, as documented by Cancer Today, shows she died peacefully under hospice care.

The pattern: Kitt’s death has been sensationalized online. The verified medical timeline from Cancer Today — diagnosis in 2006, recurrence in late 2008, hospice — tells a clear, sobering story of a woman who faced her mortality with the same courage she showed throughout her life.

What was Eartha Kitt’s diagnosis?

Diagnosis of colon cancer

Eartha Kitt was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2006. Cancer Today documented that she discovered a lump in her abdomen and sought medical attention. She was told that the cancer was treatable, and she underwent a surgical resection followed by six months of chemotherapy.

Treatment and response

After treatment, tests showed that she was cancer-free, and she continued performing and recording. The cancer recurred in 2008. Cancer Today reported that doctors found the cancer had spread to her peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) during a planned surgery in November 2008.

What this means: Kitt’s treatment initially succeeded, but the recurrence proved aggressive. Her case underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring after a cancer diagnosis.

Why was Eartha Kitt controversial?

Anti-Vietnam War comments at White House

On January 18, 1968, Eartha Kitt attended a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson. When asked about the problem of juvenile delinquency, she responded by linking it to the Vietnam War. According to the White House Historical Association, she told the First Lady: “You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. They rebel in the street. They take marijuana and they get high. They don’t want to go to school because they’re going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam.”

Blacklisting and career impact

The reaction was immediate and severe. The CIA created a file on Kitt, and the White House Historical Association confirmed that she was blacklisted from getting work in the United States for nearly a decade. Her career in the U.S. suffered dramatically — she was forced to perform almost exclusively in Europe and Asia throughout the 1970s.

The trade-off: Kitt chose honesty over career safety. Her remarks cost her years of American film and television work, but she never apologized for them. She later said she felt compelled to speak the truth, regardless of the professional consequences.

The implication: Kitt’s blacklisting reveals how the U.S. government punished political dissent by entertainers during the Vietnam War era.

Outspoken political views

Kitt was also an advocate for civil rights and women’s issues throughout her life. She rarely shied away from controversy, whether discussing racial inequality in America or criticizing U.S. foreign policy. This outspokenness defined her public persona as much as her artistic talent.

How many husbands did Eartha Kitt have?

Marriage to John William McDonald

Eartha Kitt was married once — to John William McDonald, a real estate developer. They married in 1960 and divorced in 1964. Biography and Wikipedia both confirm the marriage, with McDonald being her only spouse.

Other relationships

Kitt had relationships with several notable figures, including actor James Dean and wealthy financier Arthur Loew Jr., but she never remarried. She had one daughter, Kitt McDonald, born in 1961.

The pattern: Kitt’s approach to relationships reflected her fierce independence. She was famously quoted as saying she never wanted to be “possessed” by a man, and she prioritized her career and her daughter above traditional family structures.

Timeline: Eartha Kitt’s life and career

Seven key dates capture the arc of Eartha Kitt’s life — from rural poverty to global stardom, political exile, and a quiet ending.

Key facts about Eartha Kitt

Eight essential data points, one clear profile: a performer who achieved extraordinary success while navigating racism, sexism, and political backlash.

Quotes that define Eartha Kitt

“You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. They rebel in the street. They take marijuana and they get high. They don’t want to go to school because they’re going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam.”

— Eartha Kitt, at the White House luncheon, January 18, 1968, as documented by the White House Historical Association

“We had to eat whatever we could dig out of the ground.”

— Eartha Kitt, recalling her childhood poverty in South Carolina, as reported by NPR

“I am a simple woman who has had a complicated life.”

— Eartha Kitt, as cited by Biography

Eartha Kitt’s legacy

Eartha Kitt left behind a complicated legacy. She was a Black woman who broke barriers in entertainment — Broadway, film, television, and music — at a time when the industry was deeply segregated. She was also a political activist who paid a severe professional price for her convictions. For readers who admire her work, the lesson is clear: Kitt’s career demonstrates that talent alone is not always enough to protect an artist from the consequences of speaking truth to power.

After her controversial White House protest, Eartha Kitt faced a decade-long professional exile, a period detailed in her exile and later return.

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