Eartha Kitt [1927-2008]—entertainer

–born impoverished in South Carolina
–abandoned by her parents, an aunt raised her in Harlem
–Kitt joined a traveling dancing troupe and moved to Europe in 1948
–she became a nightclub favorite for her singing style in Paris and London
–after returning to the United States, Kitt signed a record contract with RCA in 1952
–Kitt soon earned as much as 10,000/ week for Vegas shows

— took over the role of Catwoman for the third season of the 1960s Batman television series,
–during the sixties, Kitt became active in teaching low-income youth in Washington, D.C. to dance
–she testified before Congress in 1967 about juvenile delinquency
–President Johnson named Kitt to a Citizens Advisory Committee on Youth Opportunity
–later it was revealed that Kitt had been under CIA surveillance since 1956
–Kitt wrote two autobiographies: Thursday’s Child (1956) and Alone with Me (1976)