Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Proverbs 31:8
Her illustrious career over decades won her numerous accolades. Yet her work practically dried up one day after attending a luncheon at the White House. Speaking from her convictions and pulling back the curtain on poverty, she found that speaking truth to power often comes with a price.
Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) was a Black American singer, actress, dancer, and activist. Her career, spanning decades, including three Emmy awards and numerous other nominations. Perhaps her best-known but controversial song was a sultry Santa Baby which was the best-selling Christmas song of 1953 and was later recorded by many other artists. Some may remember her for her role as Cat Woman in the 3rd season of the 1960’s TV series Batman.
Her career came to a screeching halt in 1968 after Eartha was invited by Lady Bird Johnson to a White House luncheon to discuss the growing issue of crime in America. As Eartha listened to the speeches by the other guests, she was disappointed as they failed to touch on the topic for which they had assembled. When Eartha stood to speak, she boldly laid out poverty as one of the underlying causes of crime, much to the discomfort of the white women in the room. When it was all over, Eartha Kitt found herself shunned from performing in the United States. The CIA even created a dossier on her.
How devastating it must have been for her to have fallen from grace so quickly simply for answering the question they ostensibly were there to hear. How disappointing it must have been to speak truth to power only to find herself out of work and out of favor.
What gave Eartha the strength to stand by her beliefs in the face of power? How could she remain strong despite the hardship of rejection by her own country? I believe the answer lies in her very core. She remained true to herself in spite of any fear she may have felt and regardless of the consequences. She knew who she was and she held true to her convictions to stand up for those who could not stand up for themselves. Speaking her truth led to backlash, but Eartha was able to live in peace with herself rather than pretend to be who others expected her to be. Eartha went on to perform internationally where she continued her stardom, never losing sight of her convictions.
As Eartha Kitt demonstrated, being true to yourself involves respecting, loving, and standing up for yourself which enables you to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute”, as our key verse states. As a result, lives and circumstances are changed for the better.
Being true to our deepest core means first understanding who we are which takes time and solitude to really know ourselves. Being true to ourselves also means being true to who God created us to be, endowed with all the gifts and talents He has bestowed upon us for His purposes. All of this informs our values and convictions.
Throughout my own life, I find that all roads lead back to being true to myself. Sometimes it feels like walking to the beat of a different drum which often has a social cost. But when I show up as my authentic self, there is no pretense, mask, or dissonance between who I portray myself to be and who I am. In the midst of struggles and conflicts, I can be my best self and find peace in the process.
But it isn’t just about me. When we live out God’s purposes with focus and intention from our authentic selves, we create ripples of change in our sphere of influence. Like skipping stones undulating a lake’s smooth façade, the sand shifts, grain by grain, as the ripples splash the shore.
Jesus spoke truth to power as He condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who along with the Roman rulers, ultimately plotted and carried out a death sentence for His truth-telling. Yet Jesus was true to Himself and true to His mission to stand up to power for the sake of the marginalized so He could indeed have good news for the poor and truly set the oppressed free (Luke 4:16-21*). His movement of social justice continues to this day.
Eartha Kitt may not be a household name today, but her legacy of truth-telling lives on and the truths she spoke that day at the White House are still relevant over 50 years later. While daring to speak truth to power, she shined a spotlight on the injustices of poverty in this country and gave the much-needed Civil Rights Movement a push forward.
Jesus’ love for all humanity and His sense of justice motivated Him to speak truth to power. Eartha Kitt’s sense of justice motivated her, too. While we may not be invited to the White House to speak, when we speak truth bravely, when we live our lives as our true and authentic selves for our God-given purposes, regardless of the costs, we too can be a part of Jesus’ continuing mission to bring about the much-needed change in our society today.
Lord Jesus, You came to radically demonstrate God’s love to all people while speaking truth to the powerful in the society in which You lived. May I be fearless in speaking Your truth to power. May I be ever-conscious of those less fortunate who need a voice to speak for them so the chains of injustice may be broken. Fill my mind with Your truth and my heart with Your courage as I stay true to myself for Your purposes for me and for the sake of those in need. Amen.
*Luke 4:16-21: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Lake Windermere in the Lake District, England.
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
NOTE: September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/uslatinocultures.
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE: Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Her illustrious career over decades won her numerous accolades. Yet her work practically dried up one day after attending a luncheon at the White House. Speaking from her convictions and pulling back the curtain on poverty, she found that speaking truth to power often comes with a price.
Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) was a Black American singer, actress, dancer, and activist. Her career, spanning decades, including three Emmy awards and numerous other nominations. Perhaps her best-known but controversial song was a sultry Santa Baby which was the best-selling Christmas song of 1953 and was later recorded by many other artists. Some may remember her for her role as Cat Woman in the 3rd season of the 1960’s TV series Batman.
Her career came to a screeching halt in 1968 after Eartha was invited by Lady Bird Johnson to a White House luncheon to discuss the growing issue of crime in America. As Eartha listened to the speeches by the other guests, she was disappointed as they failed to touch on the topic for which they had assembled. When Eartha stood to speak, she boldly laid out poverty as one of the underlying causes of crime, much to the discomfort of the white women in the room. When it was all over, Eartha Kitt found herself shunned from performing in the United States. The CIA even created a dossier on her.
How devastating it must have been for her to have fallen from grace so quickly simply for answering the question they ostensibly were there to hear. How disappointing it must have been to speak truth to power only to find herself out of work and out of favor.
What gave Eartha the strength to stand by her beliefs in the face of power? How could she remain strong despite the hardship of rejection by her own country? I believe the answer lies in her very core. She remained true to herself in spite of any fear she may have felt and regardless of the consequences. She knew who she was and she held true to her convictions to stand up for those who could not stand up for themselves. Speaking her truth led to backlash, but Eartha was able to live in peace with herself rather than pretend to be who others expected her to be. Eartha went on to perform internationally where she continued her stardom, never losing sight of her convictions.
As Eartha Kitt demonstrated, being true to yourself involves respecting, loving, and standing up for yourself which enables you to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute”, as our key verse states. As a result, lives and circumstances are changed for the better.
Being true to our deepest core means first understanding who we are which takes time and solitude to really know ourselves. Being true to ourselves also means being true to who God created us to be, endowed with all the gifts and talents He has bestowed upon us for His purposes. All of this informs our values and convictions.
Throughout my own life, I find that all roads lead back to being true to myself. Sometimes it feels like walking to the beat of a different drum which often has a social cost. But when I show up as my authentic self, there is no pretense, mask, or dissonance between who I portray myself to be and who I am. In the midst of struggles and conflicts, I can be my best self and find peace in the process.
But it isn’t just about me. When we live out God’s purposes with focus and intention from our authentic selves, we create ripples of change in our sphere of influence. Like skipping stones undulating a lake’s smooth façade, the sand shifts, grain by grain, as the ripples splash the shore.
Jesus spoke truth to power as He condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who along with the Roman rulers, ultimately plotted and carried out a death sentence for His truth-telling. Yet Jesus was true to Himself and true to His mission to stand up to power for the sake of the marginalized so He could indeed have good news for the poor and truly set the oppressed free (Luke 4:16-21*). His movement of social justice continues to this day.
Eartha Kitt may not be a household name today, but her legacy of truth-telling lives on and the truths she spoke that day at the White House are still relevant over 50 years later. While daring to speak truth to power, she shined a spotlight on the injustices of poverty in this country and gave the much-needed Civil Rights Movement a push forward.
Jesus’ love for all humanity and His sense of justice motivated Him to speak truth to power. Eartha Kitt’s sense of justice motivated her, too. While we may not be invited to the White House to speak, when we speak truth bravely, when we live our lives as our true and authentic selves for our God-given purposes, regardless of the costs, we too can be a part of Jesus’ continuing mission to bring about the much-needed change in our society today.
Lord Jesus, You came to radically demonstrate God’s love to all people while speaking truth to the powerful in the society in which You lived. May I be fearless in speaking Your truth to power. May I be ever-conscious of those less fortunate who need a voice to speak for them so the chains of injustice may be broken. Fill my mind with Your truth and my heart with Your courage as I stay true to myself for Your purposes for me and for the sake of those in need. Amen.
*Luke 4:16-21: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Lake Windermere in the Lake District, England.
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
NOTE: September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/uslatinocultures.
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE: Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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