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An American actress, singer, and activist, Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) remains an incredibly influential and controversial figure in American culture.

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Born on a cotton plantation to a single mother of Cherokee and African descent (and almost certainly a White father) and raised in Harlem, New York City, Kitt studied performing arts from a young age. Her distinctive voice made her stand out in the Katherine Dunham Company, the first African-American dance company.

In 1950, Kitt starred as Helen of Troy in Dr. Faustus (a role given by Orson Welles, who called her “the most exciting woman in the world”). Her fame grew, until she was featured as Catwoman in the Batman television series in the late 1960s.

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Her professional life took a massive hit when she made anti-Vietnam war statements during a White House luncheon, making First Lady Johnson burst into tears. In response, the CIA defamed her, and Kitt focused on her work abroad in Europe and Asia for a time. Kitt could speak in four languages (English, German, Dutch, French) and sing in eleven.

In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Kitt returned to work on Broadway, where she received widespread acclaim, and continued to perform for years.

Kitt was a widespread social and political activist. In addition to her anti-war stance, she established the Kittsville Youth Foundation, was a support of Rebels with a Cause (a D.C. based group focused on beautifying the city). Kitt publically supports LGBT rights and considers same-sex marriage a civil right.

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Notable songs by Eartha Kitt include:
1. “C'est si bon” (composed 1947 by Henri Betti, performed 1953)
2. “Santa Baby” (1953)
3. “I Want to Be Evil” (1954)

Notable roles by Eartha Kitt include:
1. Catwoman (Batman 1967)
2. Shaleem-La-Lume (Timbuktu! 1978. Tony nomination)
3. Dolores (The Wild Party 2000. Tony nomination)
4. Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove 2000. Kronk’s New Groove 2005. The Emperor’s New School 2006-2008. Two Daytime Emmy Awards.)
5. The Cool Cat (Wonder Pets! Guest performance. 2010. Daytime Emmy Award).

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September 1st, 1864: The Confederate Army evacuated Atlanta, Georgia, ending a four-month siege by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman. This was a major victory for the North, helping get Lincoln re-elected and setting the stage for Sherman’s March to the Sea, later that same year.

August 31st, 1997: Diana, Princess of Wales, and her lover, Dodi Fayed, die in a car crash.

August 30th, 1797: English author Mary Shelley was born.

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August 29th, 1861: The First Opium War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking between the Qing Empire and the United Kingdom.

August 28th 1963: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom organized by A. Philip Randolph and…

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On This Day In History

August 28th, 1955: Emmett Till is lynched.

A Black 14-year-old accused of whistling at (or flirting with, or putting his hand around the waist of) a White woman, he was abducted, tortured, and murdered by two men who were not punished. The description propelled Till, posthumously, into the forefront of the American Civil Rights Movement.

The men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, were never convicted and publically told their story, selling it for $4,000.

The woman, Carolyn Bryant, has also not faced justice. On August 10th, 2022, a grand jury declined to indict her.

Claims that Carolyn Bryant recanted her entire story are incomplete and misleading–she now says she cannot remember the exact details, and she apparently said some of her story was false during an untaped portion of an otherwise taped interview.

August 28th, 1963: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, organized by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, was held in Washington D.C. Keynote speaker Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

“This country has socialism for the rich and rugged individualism for the poor.”

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“This country has socialism for the rich, and rugged individualism for the poor.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr. (1965 speech to the Negro American Labor Council)

August 27th, 1576: Italian Renaissance painter Tiziano (Titian) died.

La Bella (1536) by Tiziano. Oil on canvas.

August 26th, 1936: The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 officially established Egypt as a sovereign nation.

For the record: I love when people are critical about sources! This mugshot is NOT fake like some…

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On This Day In History

March 30th, 2023: Donald Trump is indicted by the New York grand jury, making him the first US president (current or former) to face criminal charges.

April 4th, 2023: Donald Trump has been arrested.

August 4th, 2023: Here’s the update!

Former president Donald Trump has three indictments, meaning criminal prosecutions. They are as follows:

The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump (the Stormy Daniels case). Trump faces 34 state felony charges of falsifying business records. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is set for March 25th, 2024.

United States of America v. Donald J. Trump, Waltine Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveira (the classified documents case). Trump faces 40 federal felony charges regarding his handling of classified documents, largely violations of the Espionage Act, as well as making false statements and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is set for May 20th, 2024.

United States of America v. Donald J. Trump (The 2020 election/Jan 6th insurrection case). Trump faces 4 federal charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States; obstructing an official proceeding related to the election; and conspiracy against rights. He has pleaded not guilty. We expect to find out the trial date on August 28th, 2023.

A fourth investigation has not yet brought charges against Trump, though we expect it to. it refers to Donald Trump’s actions in the 2020 elections in the state of Georgia, particularly concerning his phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger. In this call, he pressures Raffensperger to adjust the collected votes, making Trump win. A grand jury is currently debating whether to bring charges against Donald Trump in this case; we expect the decision to be made sometime in August 2023.

If Donald Trump is found guilty of even a single charge, he will be a felon. From there, it will be up to the judge if he pays a fine or serves jail time. Felony status will not prevent Trump from running for President or becoming President (if he wins). Depending on his registration and the specific crimes and punishment, felony status may prevent Trump from voting in the election he is running in.

August 14th, 2023: The fourth grand jury has indicted Donald Trump.

State of Georgia v. Donald J. Trump (The Trump-Raffensperger phone call case). Trump faces 10 state charges including felony racketeering and multiple conspiracy charges. Trump has not yet entered a plea, and we do not yet know the trial date.

This was the final investigation we have been expecting to bring charges against Donald Trump.

August 24th, 2023: Donald Trump has been booked at Fulton County Jail on multiple felony charges. His mugshot has been released.

[An image of Donald Trump, in a suit, staring at the camera. His head and shoulders are visible. He looks decidedly unhappy.]

For the record: I love when people are critical about sources! This mugshot is NOT fake, like some people are saying.

This is the officially released photo of Inmate No. P01135809 by the Fulton Country Sheriff’s Office.