Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an internationally acclaimed singer, actress, and outspoken civil rights activist whose career spanned music, theater, film, and television. She began her professional career in the early 1940s, appearing on Broadway in productions such as New Faces of 1952, which helped launch her into international stardom. Kitt became especially well known for her distinctive voice and sophisticated persona, recording enduring hits including “C’est si bon” (1953) and the holiday classic “Santa Baby.” Television audiences later embraced her for her iconic portrayal of Catwoman on the Batman television series in 1967.

Beyond entertainment, Kitt was deeply engaged in political and humanitarian causes. During the mid-1960s, she worked closely with Englewood City Councilwoman Shirley Lacy to raise funds for the Southern Civil Rights Movement, particularly voter-registration drives following the passage of the Voting Rights Act. In 1965, Kitt headlined a major benefit gala in Paramus at the newly remodeled Neptune Inn, organized under the auspices of the Southern Voter Registration Drive Committee of Bergen County. The event, billed as an “Evening With Eartha,” marked her first public appearance in Bergen County and drew significant local attention.

The gala brought together a notable group of performers and community figures, including actor Alan Alda, singer Clyde McPhatter of Englewood, and The Isley Brothers, also longtime Englewood residents. Proceeds from the evening were directed to civil-rights workers engaged in large-scale voter-registration efforts across the South, underscoring Kitt’s commitment to using her celebrity to support grassroots activism.

Kitt’s personal life was marked by both public attention and independence. She married John William McDonald in 1960; the couple separated in 1964. She later raised her daughter, Kitt (Kitt Shapiro), largely as a single mother while continuing her international career. Together, Kitt’s artistic achievements and her activism—particularly her ties to Englewood and Bergen County—reflect a life dedicated not only to performance, but also to social justice and political engagement.

“Eartha Kitt to Headline Benefit Gala.” The Record (Hackensack, NJ), 1965, Bergen County edition.

“Eartha Kitt.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 July 2024.