Blog
Explore Daniela Capistrano’s original writing and reporting.
R.I.P. Eartha Kitt - Actress, Singer, Dancer, Activist, Pop Culture Icon.
______________________
She was born Eartha Mae Keith in North, S.C., on Jan. 17, 1927. Ms. Kitt was the illegitimate child of a black Cherokee sharecropper mother and a white man about whom Ms. Kitt knew little (She claimed she was conceived of rape). Kitt worked in cotton fields and lived with a black family who, she said, abused her because she looked too white.
At 8 she was sent to live in Harlem with an aunt, Marnie Kitt, who Ms. Kitt came to believe was really her biological mother. Though she was given piano and dance lessons, Ms. Kitt would be beaten, run away and return. By her early teenage years she was working in a factory and sleeping in subways and on the roofs of unlocked buildings. (She would later become an advocate, through Unicef, on behalf of homeless children.)
Ms. Kitt scored her biggest hit in 30 years with “Where Is My Man†in 1984, the same year she was roundly criticized for touring South Africa. Ms. Kitt was typically unapologetic; the tour, she said, played to integrated audiences and helped build schools for black children. (read full story about Ms. Kitt's life on the New York Times)
Facebook Comment
Related Articles
Thoughts on MTV’s Artist of the Week: The Gossip
The Gossip is currently MTV's Artist of the Week. I saw The Gossip perform live for the first time at Read more
OhMyHeartness for Hulu.com and Consumer Behavior
Bye bye TV. My recent consistent usage of hulu.com helps to demonstrate the way young people consume content. I stopped Read more
Inside Joost: I was watching “Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride”, when I realized …
I haven't used Joost in ages. I didn't like the quality of the streaming video, that I had to constantly Read more
14-year old Lucas Cruikshank makes “Fred” his YouTube Meal Ticket
As a devoted YouTube connoisseur, I can't help but be aware of "Fred" and his ever growing popularity. "Fred", 14-year Read more
On My Radar: Muppet Movie Countdown
In the last couple of weeks a bunch of new Muppet videos have been popping up online. This has increased Read more

Explore Daniela Capistrano’s original writing and reporting.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER
Recent Posts
DanielaCapistrano0 Comments
Yes, I’ve Been Doing Some Writing.
DanielaCapistrano1 Comment
The Dangers Of Sharing ‘Struggle Porn’ And How It Can Serve Egos More Than People In Need
DanielaCapistrano3 Comments
Daniela Capistrano’s Artist Residency At The Ace Hotel In 2015
Tags
#archive
#socialmedia
#tweets
2008
2009
2010
activism
afro-punk
Brooklyn
chicana
Culture
daniela capistrano
dcap
diary
election
Facebook
Family
feminism
film
inspiration
interview
latina
lists
media literacy
movie
MTV
MTV News
music
music video
news
new york
NYC
photos
POC Zine Project
review
social media
south bronx
technology
travel
Twitter
Uncensored Interview
update
Video
work
youtube