In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I thought I’d share some cool memorabilia from my mother’s personal collection.
My mother and Dr Martin Luther King weren’t friends, but it seems that they both admired each other very much.
The top photo is my mother, Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis Jr., Sidney Poitier, Berry Gordy and Marlon Brando at Dr King’s funeral services.
A copy of a telegram from Dr. King to Eartha Kitt, when she was at The Appollo Theatre in 1963.Â
I have come across some correspondence from Coretta Scott King, inviting my mother to be on the board of The Martin Luther King Foundation after his murder in 1968. A very interesting year that was, as it was in January when my mother spoke out against the war in Vietnam at a White House luncheon. Read more about events that changed our country in an interesting piece here: 1968: Yearlong project captures the moments that transformed the nation
I have my own little brush with history here:
The Peaceful Warrior signed “To Little Kitt” by Dr King himself and the author Ed Clayton. I think that’s pretty cool.
Growing up, I never really thought of my mother as a trailblazer, but I continue to come across incredible historic examples of the impact she made while on this earth. What a role model she was and continues to be. #BlessedBeyondWords
And, yes, a biopic is in the works.
3 Response Comments
Entirely fabulous Kitt! If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the kool serial digital docuseries http://1968.digital/en/about which framed your Mom too briefly, but wonderfully in context. You probably had to permission it so may already know it but I just loved they put emphasis on her as much as MLK. She truly as a progenitor of combined catalyst for BLM+meToo, without having to ‘name’ them anything but Civil activism in the name of advancing a greater degree of Humanity for Blacks, and for everyone. She’s simply Eartha, and simply unequaled. Thank you for giving her spirit life for those of us so young we just missed her embodied form. But we get her Spirit!
Hi Kitt,
I love how you keep your mother’s legacy alive and well on your website. I really admired Miss. Eartha Kitt, and the work she did during the Civil rights movement, in addition to being the fabulously talented artist and entertainer she was. I don’t think a lot of people realize the voice she had at that time during the movement. During this Black History month, I’m proud to see that you’ve continued to keep her spirit alive and educating us all of her endeavors!
Ms Kitt came and ssng at The Csravan of Dreams in Dsllas/Fort Worth for the then Junior Blavk Academy of Arts & Letters.Do you have a copy?