Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) was an African American expatriate entertainer and actress. Josephine Baker became a French citizen in 1937. Most noted as a singer, Josephine Baker also was a celebrated dancer in her early career. Josephine Baker was given the nicknames the "Bronze Venus" or the "Black Pearl", as well as the "Créole Goddess" in anglophone nations. In France, Josephine Baker has always been known as "La Baker".
Josephine Baker was the first African American female to star in a major motion picture, to integrate an American concert hall, and to become a world-famous entertainer. Josephine Baker is also noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (Josephine Baker was offered the leadership of the movement by Coretta Scott King in 1968 following Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, but turned it down), for assisting the French Resistance during World War II and being the first American-born woman to receive the French military honor, the Croix de Guerre.
Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Carrie McDonald. Josephine Baker's true ethnic background is unknown. Her father's identity is debated among historians. Nevertheless her estate credits vaudeville drummer Eddi Carson as her natural father, but according to a biography written by her foster son Jean-Claude Baker:
“ … (Josephine Baker's) father was identified (on the birth certificate) simply as "Edw" I think Josephine's father was white, so did Josephine, so did her family, people in St. Louis say that (Josephine's mother) had worked for a German family (around the time she became pregnant). (Carrie) let people think Eddie Carson was the father, and Carson played along, but Josephine knew better. ”
Josephine Baker's mother, Carrie, was adopted in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1886 by Richard and Elvira McDonald, both of whom were former slaves of both African and Native American descent.
When Josephine Baker was eight she was sent to work for a white woman who abused her, burning Josephine Baker's hands when she put too much soap in the laundry. Josephine Baker later went to work for another woman.
Josephine Baker dropped out of school at the age of 12 and lived as a street child in the black slums of St. Louis, sleeping in cardboard shelters and scavenging for food in garbage cans. Her street-corner dancing attracted attention and success for her, and Josephine Baker was recruited for the St. Louis Chorus vaudeville show at 15. Josephine Baker then headed to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance, performing at the Plantation Club and in the chorus of the popular Broadway revues Shuffle Along (1921) and The Chocolate Dandies (1924). Josephine Baker performed as the last dancer in a chorus line, a position in which the dancer traditionally performed in a comic manner, as if they were unable to remember the dance, until the encore, at which point they would not only perform it correctly, but with additional complexity. Josephine Baker was then billed as "the highest-paid chorus girl in vaudeville."
On October 2, 1925, Josephine Baker opened in Paris at the Théatre des Champs-Élysées, where Josephine Baker became an instant success for her erotic dancing and for appearing practically nude on stage. After a successful tour of Europe, Josephine Baker reneged on her contract and returned to France to star at the Folies Bergères, setting the standard for her future acts. Josephine Baker performed the Danse sauvage, wearing a costume consisting of a skirt made of a string of artificial bananas.
Josephine Baker's success coincided (1925) with the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, which gave us the term "Art Deco", and also with a renewal of interest in ethnic forms of art, including African. Josephine Baker represented one aspect of this fashion. Josephine Baker was very creative and loved sequins and feathers.
In later shows in Paris Josephine Baker was often accompanied on stage by her pet cheetah, Chiquita, who was adorned with a diamond collar. The cheetah frequently escaped into the orchestra pit, where it terrorized the musicians, adding another element of excitement to the show.
Josephine Baker photos:
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