03/06/1906 – 12/04/1975
Josephine Baker, born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, and passed away in 1975 in Paris, France, was an American-born French dancer, singer, and actress. She is famous for her artistic talent, charisma, and significant role in the civil rights movement. Baker established herself as an iconic figure of the 20th century through her exceptional career and social and political engagement.
She began her career in New York in the 1920s, but it was in Paris that she found fame. In 1925, she became an international sensation with her performance in the Revue Nègre at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Her exotic dance and iconic banana skirt costume captivated audiences and made her an instant star.
Baker continued to perform in France and across Europe, becoming one of the highest-paid entertainers of her time. She also appeared in films such as “Zouzou” (1934) and “Princesse Tam Tam” (1935), cementing her place in the entertainment world.
In addition to her artistic career, Josephine Baker played an active role during World War II as an intelligence agent for the French Resistance. Using her celebrity status, she gathered information for the Allies and even hid messages in her musical scores. For her efforts, she received the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille de la Résistance, and was named a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur by General Charles de Gaulle.
After the war, Baker became an ardent civil rights activist. She supported the civil rights movement in the United States and participated in the 1963 March on Washington, where she was the only woman to speak alongside Martin Luther King Jr. She adopted twelve children of different ethnic backgrounds, whom she called her “rainbow tribe,” to demonstrate that racial harmony was possible.
Baker spent her later years at her estate in Milandes, France, where she continued to perform and advocate for social causes. Her home at Milandes became a meeting place for people from all walks of life, symbolizing her commitment to diversity and inclusion.
