Born on December 28, 1927, in St. Augustine, Florida, Ertha Kitt grew up in a world that was vastly different from the one she would later influence. As a child, she faced racism and segregation, which would later inform her activism and artistic expression. Kitt's early life was marked by hardship and struggle, with her family moving to New York City in search of better opportunities. It was in Harlem that Kitt discovered her love for the performing arts, encouraged by her teachers and fueled by her own determination.