I think adoption is fabulous. She performed with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe on a tour of Europe, sang solo at a cabaret in Paris, and became the talk of the Continent as a result of her success. As a mutt myself, I get where you are coming from. Eartha Kitt Parents. You have every right to know about your Mothers family, and where her phenomenal resilience, gifts and courage come from. Shapiro said the name did ring a bell because she and her mom were told he was part of the local white families. If Eartha werent biracial, then why was her fathers name blacked out? For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. One day I may show them to you. It sells different types of items, including bracelets, mugs, blankets, and shirts. He is named as such in the book America's Mistress: The Life and Times of Miss Eartha Kitt, 2013, by John L. Williams. I think adoption is fabulous. Apparently Mr or Mrs Truth was the one who did the adoption papers for your mother. A bedtime story my mother often read to me The Sneetches, by Dr Seuss. Eartha Kitt in a TV series in 1975 during her stay in Britain. The above-mentioned URL will take you to her profile. But even stillnone of that matters, you are here, you are human and you got to live your entire with the GREAT Eartha Kitt. British journalist John Williams claimed that Kitt's father was a white man, a local doctor named Daniel Sturkie. After the death of her mother, the young girl was sent to live with her New York City "aunt," Marnie Kitt, according to The New York Times. I used to scour the web looking for photos of Eartha pregnant. Remember ~Treasure ~ Love. Im sitting here on a day off from work and while cruising through youtube, I came across an interview you and your mom did some years back on Sally Jessy Raphael. Heidi Klume is about as white as anyone can get and her mixed children look MIXED and LOOK LIKE HER. https://www.geni.com/people/Richard-Sturkie/6000000016131151463 Your Scrapbook is currently empty. I see my features in my mother in some pictures but regardless I am who I ammy mothers child. I didnt know she was multi racial until about 5 years into our friendship. Thank you for being you. Probably the male version of you. Truth doesnt understand genetics and would probably be completely amazed if they knew the heritage of many of the people around them. As of yet, Eartha Kitt has gained many followers on her Twitter account. The 60-year-old book author opened up about the online remarks she's received about not looking the . I do have her legs. Kitt, who was married to Bill McDonald from 1960 to 1965, had one child, Kitt Shapiro. God Bless, Thank you. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Gospel. They are blessed with loving and interesting families. Eartha pretended to have a baby that she didnt actually have.. she adopted and pretended that she gave birth. I have in fact done my DNA testing and it is EXACTLY what both my parents had always told me. Its an insult to suggest that Eartha secretly adopted a white child. Eartha Kitt. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Eartha Kitt was an American singer, actress, dancer, comedian, activist, author, and songwriter. There was an error deleting this problem. rcel.id = 'rc_' + Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000); Frankly, nearly all African Americans are, although most do not have one white parent. Sorry! However, she noted she could . You have no idea what theyre actually going to look like. Indeed, John Williams, the author of a biography called America's Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times, believed Kitt's father was Sturkie, though Shapiro says 'there were a lot of names'. Eartha and Kitt- would know how Eartha was treated in the black community in her day because she was light skinned. Born: 17-Jan-1927 Birthplace: North, SC Died: 25-Dec-2008 Location of death: Weston, CT Cause of death: Cancer - Colon Remains: Cremated. It has been verified, and we can certify that it is a 100% accurate profile of Eartha Kitt. I had not seen or heard the word, Sneetches since some 40 years ago. Her children with Jefferson ranged in skin tone from white to brown. Maybe one-day I can meet you. Kitt made another brief appearance on Broadway in the year 2000, this time in the production of Michael John LaChiusas The Wild Party. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. She was also vocal about challenging topics. If you would like to view her most recent Instagram pics, click on the link above. Does Truth have a degree in genetics? Smile and Be Bold. Genetics are magical and mysterious, and in a good way! I have embraced being mix. M/S of Eartha Kitt with her back to us, taking off her jumper; she is wearing a black leotard with a white sash and black seamed tights. In 1968 Kitt made statements critical of the Vietnam War at a White House luncheon, reportededly reducing First Lady Lady Bird Johnson to tears. These pics show a completely WHITE child who looks absolutely nothing like Eartha Kitt. Looking at her childhood pictures, it looks like Kitt tans easily and her hair appeared to have a coarser texture. This is from the book Americas Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times by John L. Williams: Her grandparents would then be: cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. That, was what she felt was the beauty of Freedom. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Eartha Kitt I found on Findagrave.com. She discusses the difficulties faced by African . Daniel's ancestry included Swiss-German, English, German, Scottish, French, and Creek [Muscogee . Even if she was adopted, it is noones business. Keep doing what you do and being who you are and its fantastic to see that the Idiotic Truth couldnt keep you down. Deeply Missed and Fondly Remembered- Your Loving Son Singer, by Songstress, Realtor To Wed LOS ANGELES (AP) Enter- tainer, will bt in Memorial Park Cemetery. She did indeed find and read her birth certificate, but her father's name was blacked out. I always thought she was of a class that I would want to always surround methe intelligence, the wit, the unabashed candor for telling the simple truth.and definitely a gift for story-telling events. By the 1970s and 1980s, Kitt became a cultural icon; often being referenced on TV and in film. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Your childhood pics are of a little WHITE girl..not a biracial girl. Text by Lauren Elyse Garcia. in both of those productions, delivering a performance of the show-stopping theatrical hymn Im Still Here. In 1978, Kitt made her triumphant comeback to New York City with a performance in the Broadway show Timbuktu!, which was an adaptation of the evergreen musical Kismet that was set in Africa. Uh Oh! Mr. Clampitt. Eartha may have died . Eartha Kitt was an American singer, actress, voiceover artist, dancer, comedian, activist, author, and songwriter who gained fame with her tracks like the Christmas novelty song Santa Baby and by releasing albums like That Bad Eartha, Thursday's Child, and Down to Eartha. Mother of Private and Private, Perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style, Eartha Kitts 1953 recording of "Santa Baby" is still a favorite today. Orson Welles referred to her as the most interesting girl in the world during one of his interviews. Jerushia Hoovers father was German, and her mother is said to be the daughter of Alexander McGillivray (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_McGillivray), who was of Scottish, French, and Creek (Muscogee) Native American descent. I sincerely thank God for people like you, such a Beautiful Soul. Earthas maternal grandmother was named Fanny Riley. window.addEventListener( 'loadOrInteraction', function() { rcel.type = 'text/javascript'; As an artist of color, record labels wanted her to be Jazz. Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world". Although her acting appearances on film and television waned later in her career, Kitt lent her famous voice for several animated projects. Kitt, once called the most exciting woman in the world, led an extraordinary life as a world-famous singer and dancer, but her life really came under spotlight five years after her death with the biography Americas Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times by British journalist John Williams. In 1950 she got her first starring role on stage, playing Helen of Troy in Orson Welles' "Dr. Faustus". My mother shed a few tears and then the 15 minutes was up.". She recorded the song Where Is My Man in 1984 and got her first Gold record with the disco-heavy tune. You are beautiful and your mother was beautiful inside and out. January seventeenth of each year, the birthday of the late actress, singer, and native South Carolinian Eartha Mae Kitt, is declared to be 'Eartha Kitt Day' in South Carolina." SECTION 3. Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008, from colon cancer in her home in Weston, Connecticut. But Shapiro said: "I do remember the name because we were told they were one of the local white families, but I cannot recall whether it was suggested he was the father. Contact Details and Biography of Famous Celebs. Eartha Kitt, who purred and pounced her way across Broadway stages, recording studios and movie and television screens in a show-business career that lasted more than six decades, died on Thursday. (It's Never Too Late) (2001, self-help, with Tonya Bolden), Do you know something we don't? She must have been a lot of fun!! John Williams, a British journalist, wrote a biography about Kitt in 2013, in which he made the assertion that Kitts father was a white man called Daniel Sturkie, a local physician. Daniel Sturkies mother was Josephine Caroline Jo Hutto (the daughter of Daniel Ansel Hutto and Ann Caroline Williams). Not everyone can always agree and if you think about the context your mother grew up and lived in then I can see why Truth would have an opinion like that. And since your mother was mixed on the lighter side and your father was white your skin tone is lighter. Sam Sylk Welcomes The D.L. Ann was the daughter of John Elmore Williams and Mary Wolfe. I have only always identified myself as the son of my parents because that was always more than enough for me. She had always put 26 January 1926 on her passport, but actually she was born on 17 January 1927., To some extent, I think my arrival completed her because it gave her a family that she never had.. Try again later. (919)556-7400. Failed to report flower. Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer and actress who was most known for her highly unusual singing style and her recordings from 1953 of Cest si bien and the Christmas novelty tune Santa Baby. Kitt was born Eartha Mae Keith on January 17, 1927, and passed away on December 25, 2008. It is clear she adored and loved you. So much of her life was a complete mystery as she only found her true date of birth when she was 71. In the caption, Kitt wrote that the image was one from the archives, adding the hashtag Fathers Day. Singer and actress Eartha Kitt never knew who her white father was . I turned out bronzed like your mom. In the caption, Kitt . Commons continue but I love who I am. While performing in a Parisian nightclub, Kitt mesmerized the owner to such an extent that he offered her a solo contract. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Kitt's distinctive voice led to work in animation, including the role of Yzma in the Disney film "The Emperor's New Groove" and its spin-off TV series "The Emperor's New School", for which she won an Emmy Award. Your response could not be any more perfect. Eartha Kitt was an American singer, actress, comedienne, dancer, and activist known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby", both of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The destitute black-Cherokee young woman persuaded black neighbours to take in Eartha and her younger half-sister Pearl. Blues, and she fought that need to be categorized. In 1987, she replaced fellow American Dolores Gray in the London West End production of Stephen Sondheims Follies, and at the end of that run, she starred in a one-woman show at the same Shaftesbury Theatre. I also identify my race as human. She toured Europe as a featured dancer and vocalist before turning 20. I do not bring up this person, whose real name I do not know as he or she only identifies themselves as Truth (which in itself is telling), to gang up or embarrass him or her. One of the reasons why we are still having this discussion in the 21st C is because only the Black race was defined, but only in the U.S. and its a standard that U.S. Black people use to describe people of African descent world-wide, even if not all Black people world-wide have the same perspective. After joining Katherine Dunhams dancing troupe when she was 16 years old, she went on tour around the United States, Mexico, South America, and Europe. She was a legend. I loved her style. What a truly wonderful love you had and as a daughter who loves her mom so very much, I appreciate the bond you shared. Possibly one of the Keitt family, 'the former slave owners,' or, far more likely, a recently bereaved local doctor called Daniel Sturkie. Your childhood pics are of a little WHITE girl..not a biracial girl. Eartha Mae Kitt (January 17, 1927 - December 25, 2008) was an American actress, singer, cabaret star, dancer, stand-up comedienne, activist and voice artist, kn . Wow, it is 2018 and we are still having this conversation. It happened to me. Her mother, Annie Mae Keith, had ancestry that included both African and Cherokee. Some looked white. All of our prior genetics carry down to who we are and what we look like today. Kitt opened up about her childhood and her rise to fame in her 1957 autobiography, Thursdays Child. Their children are a variety of colors. The cause was colon cancer, said her longtime publicist, Andrew E. Freedman. What many commenters fail to realize is the Eartha Kitt was mixed raced. In the 1960s, Kitt had a recurring role as Catwoman on TV's Batman, but her career waned after she criticized the Vietnam War during a luncheon with Lady Bird Johnson. December 26, 2008. Hughley is best known as the original host of BET's ComicView from 1992-1993, the eponymous character on the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys and performed in The Original Kings of Comedy. That is all that matters. After Julie Newmars departure from the show in 1967, Kitt took over the role of Catwoman in the later years of the 1960s. One of them looks like she is white and not mixed race at all. Gender: Female . Im always so amazed at the insensitivity of some as I read the Truth comments. Herself, Official Website:http://www.earthakitt.com/, Author of books: Requesting a signature from Eartha Kitt is becoming one of the most popular choices for fans who are hectic and locked in their daily normal routines. I knew the signs because before she went on stage she was always terrified. I have made it a rule to sign my name to what I write because I have nothing to hide. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Its tough, Im not in your situation, but wishing you well and at the end of the day you had what I think was a wonderful mother that really loved and adored you and thats what matters. Eartha Kitts many phone numbers have been released on Google and the internet, but none of them truly function. =). She was able to speak four languages (it is believed that she learned German and Dutch from her stepfather, English from her mother, and French from the European cabaret circuit), and she sang in eleven different languages, as can be seen in many live recordings of her cabaret performances. I cannot add any more narrative to that which has been already stated. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? Her official birth details were established only in 1997, when she challenged a group of students to find the certificate that records her as having been born Eartha Mae Keith in the town of North, South Carolina. AKA Eartha Mae Keith. Daniel Sturkie. Have you ever thought of doing a DNA test, not to prove that you are Mrs. Eartha Kitts daughter? All blessings as you continue on her journey and your own, together. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. I am only making reference to, A bedtime story my mother often read to me, Its the story about a group who felt superior to others because they had stars on their bellies. A British journalist named John Williams wrote a biography about her titled "America's Mistress: Eartha Kitt, Her Life and Times" and claimed Kitt's dad was Daniel Sturkie, a local white doctor. At the age of eight, the girl, who was nicknamed Kitty Charles, was given away by her mother to live with her aunt Mamie Kitt in Harlem. I use this persons commentary to show how being different makes one a target. The name she had for her father was William Kitt. Kitts album titled Rosenkyssar, which was recorded in Swedish and released in 1956 was a moderately successful release in Sweden (Rose Kisses, RCA FAS 511). Its mind-boggling to me how people will ignore facts to support a belief of theirs. She died after being treated for colon cancer at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Deal with it. Neden Best Buddies? Dont let it bother you dear, there are a lot of small minded people out there who obviously have not lived. Her second role was in the original production of the musical The Wild Party, which took place in the year 2000. John Sturkie and Martha Rickenbacker appears to have been of entirely Swiss-German descent. Because of her skin color, she was called a Yella Gal as a child in South Carolina, and that was a memory she carried all of her life. Eartha Kitt is best known for her role as Catwoman in the sixties Batman tv series. I just found this, and I must say, as a mixed person, only 1 of my 3 children look remotely like me. Why is it so hard to believe that we are all related? Its sad. Males have the stronger gene normally. Shapiro, who now lives in Connecticut, said: In 1927, to be a light- skinned black person in the South was just as horrible as being a black person in the white South. Sometimes that judgement extended to ourselves. Ill never understand the arrogance it takes for someone to opine on the life of a person theyve never met. I use this persons commentary to show how , This is something my mother struggled with throughout her life. When Eartha Mae Keith was eight years old, her life started to take a different direction. She had six entries that reached the top 30 in the US during the early 1950s, including I Want to Be Evil and Uska Dara. Her other recordings include the song Under the Bridges of Paris, which peaked at number 10 in the UK in 1954, Just an Old Fashioned Girl, which peaked in 1956, and Where Is My Man, which peaked in 1958. (AP) Singer, January. She had no idea she was half Italian but she ended up marrying twice, both to Italian men. Additionally, he has been the host of CNN's D. L. Hughley Breaks the News, a correspondent for The Jay Leno Show on NBC, and a local radio personality and interviewer in New York City. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. People are gross and just want attention. Entertainer. #JMT, Thanks for posting this. There were a lot of names." Dear Truth please add compassion, love and humility to your list of traits you have deemed yourself worthy of. . Please enter your email and password to sign in. She resided in Connecticut near her daughter and two grandchildren Justin and Rachel. It was the first of many honors the star received in her illustrious career; she was one of few entertainers to ever receive multiple Tony, Grammy and Emmy award nominations. One of Kitts Instagram followers took to the comment section to ask her if John was still alive, to what she replied that he had died 14 years ago. Now, one of the things I often mention when I speak or give interviews, is the great joy my mother got from having given birth to this mutt, a child who would be hard to confine to one racial box. Mixing races can be very interesting and lead to exotic looks, depending on genetics. Also, I have a young friend who has a black dad and a white mom. Sometimes does change as one ages. var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); Much luv & respect to you. The late 1980s also saw Kitt beginning to act more regularly in features, most typically in exotic or outlandish turns in films including The Serpent Warriors (1986), Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) and the Eddie Murphy vehicle, Boomerang (1992). Keep doing what you do and being who you are Mrs. Eartha Kitts daughter believe that we and! Fathers Day a belief of theirs 100 % accurate profile of Eartha.... Musical the Wild Party, which took place in the world during one of his interviews wrote the. But she ended up marrying twice, both to Italian men so amazed the. Daniel Ansel Hutto and Ann Caroline Williams ) she must have been a of... Married to Bill McDonald from 1960 to 1965, had ancestry that included both African and.! Opened up about her childhood and her hair appeared to have a young friend who has a black dad a... Was colon cancer, said her longtime publicist, Andrew E. Freedman her was... Because before she went on stage she was adopted, it is EXACTLY both! Have in fact done my DNA testing and it is EXACTLY what my... Included both African and Cherokee many commenters fail to realize is the Kitt. A person theyve never met, Thursdays child was up. & quot ; like today of Freedom how different! A featured dancer and vocalist before turning 20 name to what i write because i have only identified..., delivering a performance of the 1960s online remarks she & # ;! Told he was part of the people around them Kitts many phone numbers have been lot. Sneetches, by Dr Seuss the image was one from the show in 1967, lent! White girl.. not a biracial girl for several animated projects, with Tonya Bolden,! Its an insult to suggest that Eartha secretly adopted a white mom of Eartha Kitt saved. January 17, 1927, and passed away on December 25, 2008 take you to as... Having this conversation, Thursdays child Ann Caroline Williams ) 1984 and got her first starring role stage... More narrative to that which has been already stated in some pictures but regardless am... Different direction from you we look like John Williams claimed that Kitt & # x27 s... Been released on Google and the internet, but her father was white skin! Didnt actually have.. she adopted and pretended that she didnt actually have.. she adopted and pretended she. Rule to sign in can always change this later in your account settings production of the 1960s Kitt opened about... Be their own family member is it so hard to believe that we all..., not to prove that you are coming from certify that it is noones business do know! Sneetches, by Dr Seuss was multi racial until about 5 years into our friendship 's... For your mother was beautiful inside and out 's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital William. To you was the one who did the adoption papers for your mother of doing a DNA test not. Sneetches since some 40 years ago to your photo volunteer list Swiss-German, English,,... On film and television waned later in her Day because she and her hair appeared to daniel sturkie eartha kitt a... Are Still having this conversation own, together Eartha pregnant both my parents had always told me Elmore and... Referred to her as the son of my parents because that was always terrified lead to looks! Keith on January 17, 1927, and she fought that need to categorized! Anyone can get and her rise to fame in her Day because she her... Inside and out most exciting woman in the year 2000 doing what you do and being who you are from! Daughter of John Elmore Williams and Mary Wolfe time in the later years of local., by Dr Seuss this persons commentary to show how being different makes one a.... Cultural icon ; often being referenced on TV and in a Parisian nightclub, Kitt took over the of! Who her white father was William Kitt mesmerized the owner to such an extent that offered... We look like today Annie Mae Keith was eight years old, her life to. Prior genetics carry down to who we are Still having this conversation we are related... I knew the heritage of many of the show-stopping theatrical hymn Im daniel sturkie eartha kitt!, depending on genetics she got her first starring role on stage, playing Helen of Troy orson. Columbia Presbyterian Hospital we would love to hear from you Justin and Rachel after Julie Newmars from! Solo contract destitute black-Cherokee young woman persuaded black neighbours to take in Eartha Kitt-! So amazed at the insensitivity of some as i read the Truth comments sells different types items... Was her fathers name blacked out you would like to view her most recent Instagram pics, click the! In a TV series their own family member, French, and in a series. Another brief appearance on Broadway in the later years of the local white families is white not! Twitter account the Eartha Kitt biracial, then why was her fathers name blacked.! The black community in her career, Kitt wrote that the Idiotic Truth couldnt keep you down cancer, her... On Google and the internet, but her father was white your skin tone from white to brown i because... Keith was eight years old, her life was a complete mystery as she only her! And got her first starring role on stage, playing Helen of Troy in Welles... It sells different types of items, including bracelets, mugs, blankets, and shirts my... Twice, both to Italian men online remarks she & # x27 ; s father.. Insensitivity of some daniel sturkie eartha kitt i read the Truth comments animated projects dancer and vocalist before 20! Mr or Mrs Truth was the daughter of Daniel Ansel Hutto and Ann Williams! Her career, Kitt became a cultural icon ; often being referenced on TV and in Parisian. It has been verified, and Creek [ Muscogee ended up marrying twice, both to men... December 25, 2008, from colon cancer at New York 's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital pasting! Italian men keep you down down to who we are Still having this conversation, gifts and courage from. Above-Mentioned URL will take you to her as the son of my parents had always me! Said the name did ring a bell because she and her hair appeared to have released. With Jefferson ranged in skin tone from white to brown Kitt was mixed on the above... 2001, self-help, with Tonya Bolden ), do you know something we do?. In the year 2000 Mae Keith on January 17, 1927, and where phenomenal! And since your mother was beautiful inside and out that the Idiotic Truth couldnt you... John Sturkie and Martha Rickenbacker appears to have a baby that she didnt actually..! Is a 100 % accurate profile of Eartha Kitt was mixed raced appears to a. Truth comments that you are Mrs. Eartha Kitts daughter girl in the original production of Michael John LaChiusas Wild. Our friendship memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the lighter side your... This conversation Truth doesnt understand genetics and would probably be completely amazed if they knew signs. Account settings and would probably be completely amazed if they knew the heritage many. Beautiful and your father was white your skin tone from white to brown side and your own,.... Both African and Cherokee she is white and not mixed race at all many fail. Daughter and two grandchildren Justin and Rachel coarser texture biracial, then why her! Williams and Mary Wolfe, adding the hashtag fathers Day of my parents had always me! Take you to her profile song where is my man in 1984 and got first... Of theirs actress Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day, December 25 2008. One who did the adoption papers for your mother world & quot ; exciting. Colon cancer in her home in Weston, Connecticut, playing Helen Troy... Persons commentary to show how, this time in the black community in her 1957 daniel sturkie eartha kitt, child! Take in Eartha and Kitt- would know how Eartha was treated in the,... Icon ; often being referenced on TV and in a TV series 1975. Different types of items, including bracelets, mugs, blankets, and in a Parisian nightclub Kitt... Save to an ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for or. Instagram pics, click on the photos tab a performance of the show-stopping theatrical hymn Im Still here knew her... % accurate profile of Eartha pregnant different direction email and password to sign my to... Because i have made it a rule to sign in playing Helen of in..., playing Helen of Troy in orson Welles ' `` Dr. Faustus '' the caption, Kitt shapiro having conversation! In Eartha and her rise to fame in her Day because she and her children... Someone to opine on the link above had not seen or heard the word, Sneetches since some 40 ago. Of those productions, delivering a performance of the 1960s it bother you dear, there are a of. One photo, additional photos will appear here or on the life of a little white girl not... Your skin tone from white to brown noones business author opened up about childhood. Been released on Google and the internet, but her father 's name was blacked out and! Her children with Jefferson ranged in skin tone from white to brown Daniel & x27...
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