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On a Thursday afternoon in January 1968, Eartha Kitt, along with dozens of other women, attended a White House luncheon with the president and first lady to discuss juvenile crime and delinquency.
Now, Kitt didn’t even want to attend to begin with, but when she did, and the President asked about her take on the issue, she stood on business. While many Americans protested the Vietnam War, three presidents refused to end it.
Kitt spoke her truth, stating that the youth were “angry because their parents are angry . . . because there is a war going on that they don’t understand . . . You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. They rebel in the street.”
Kitt knew her response wouldn’t go over well with the assembled guests, but many years later, after being surveilled by the C.I.A. and having her career tanked for nearly a decade, she stood by her words.
It didn’t matter to Eartha Kitt that having the conviction to speak her truth would ultimately hurt her. She was determined to use her power and position in Hollywood to counter the narratives the White House and media were spreading. Resistance often comes with a price, but it’s worth it to ensure actual change is made.