The United States passport of Eartha Kitt is up for sale on an online platform. The seller asks $5600 but delivers a fragile document description and even more blurry photos. It seems he doesn’t care much about selling his item. Otherwise, he would do a much better job of promoting his sale. Eartha Kitt Original Passport

However, some collectors are into celebrity passports, which is a chance to grab such an excellent travel document. At the same time, someone can sharpen their negotiation skills as the price is ridiculously high. Her passport was issued at the US consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Eartha Kitt Original Passport

Born in 1928 on a cotton plantation in the deep south of the United States and abandoned by her mother, Kitt grew up with an aunt. She graduated from the New York School of Performing Arts and made her New York debut as a dancer in Blue Holiday (1945). After being called the “most exciting woman in the world” by Orson Welles, he cast her as Helen of Troy in Dr. Faustus.

She later starred in Batman (1967), owning the role of ‘Catwoman’ and becoming the first black woman to achieve mainstream TV success in America. Known for being blunt and short-tempered at times, Kitt found herself in a media firestorm in 1968. She attended a luncheon on juvenile delinquency and crime hosted by Lady Bird Johnson at the White House.

At the event, Kitt shared her thoughts on the matter, telling the First Lady, “You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed,” according to the Washington Post. “No wonder the kids rebel and take the pot.” Her remarks against the Vietnam War offended Johnson and made headlines.

Her popularity took a significant hit after that, and she spent several years mostly performing abroad. Her distinctive singing style gave her many hits, including the Christmas song “Santa Baby.” Despite her ‘sex kitten’ status, she was an outspoken feminist and activist for civil rights. Kitt died from colon cancer on Christmas Day 2008 at her home in Weston, Connecticut. Eartha Kitt Original Passport

A standard passport issued at United States Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey in 1951 is surely not often to find, as travel documents from African Americans at that time are scarce in general. Her occupation is given as dancer and singer. We can see also a visa of Germany issued at their consulate general in Paris in June 1951.

This was the Istanbul Eartha encountered in 1951: a shaky but vibrant, regenerative place; a place that had gone about the business of reinventing itself as art capital of a post–Ottoman Empire, a new Turkish republic. Read more about her Turkey encounter in “The Surprising Story of Eartha Kitt in Istanbul.”

ℹ️ Passport History, Collectibles and Travel History explained by Expert, Author & Collector Tom Topol. ➡️ Ask me anything!
🌐 I occasionally release select vintage collectibles from my personal collection. View the current offers before they’re gone.