Biography josephine baker
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Josephine Baker was born on June 3, , in St. Louis. Her family was so poor that a young Baker would search trash cans for headless dolls, which she would repair for her sisters. Less than 20 years later, she would be the toast of Paris—and little girls all over France would play with their very own Josephine Baker dolls.
In Josephine Baker: The Hungry Heart,Jean-Claude Baker (her unofficial adopted son) and Chris Chase track the action-packed life of the beloved dancer and singer, whose five (!) autobiographies managed to obscure her life story more than they illuminated it.
According to The Hungry Heart, the eccentric, brilliant, sensitive, and erratic Baker befriended politicians including Fidel Castro, Winston Churchill, and Juan Perón. She was less friendly with her fellow performers—Marlene Dietrich, she said more than once (per the book), was “that German cow.” Maurice Chevalier was “a great artist but a small man.” Years later, Diana Ross would recall her meeting with
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World renowned performer, World War II spy, and activist are few of the titles used to describe Josephine Baker. One of the most successful African American performers in French history, Baker’s career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world.
On June 3, , Freda Josephine McDonald was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents, both entertainers, performed throughout the segregated Midwest often bringing her on stage during their shows. Unfortunately, their careers never took off, forcing the young Baker to look for odd jobs to survive. If she was unable to find work she would often dance on the streets, collecting money from onlookers. Eventually, her routine caught the attention of an African American theatre troupe. At the age of 15, Baker ran off and began to perform with the group. She also married during this time, taking her husband’s last name and dropping her first name, becoming Josephine Baker.
Baker flourished as a dancer in several
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Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, to a washerwoman and vaudeville performer. Having experienced the horrors of the East St. Louis riots in , she embraced her talents as a way out of discrimination and poverty. Baker began her career bygd performing in vaudeville showcases around the country and was soon offered a chance to perform in Paris in La Revue Nègre. Once the Revue closed, Baker was given her own show and from there her career skyrocketed. She was the first African American woman to star in a motion picture, to perform with an integrated cast at the American concert ingångsrum , and one of the first African American entertainers who achieved acclaim both in movies and on the stage.
During World War II, Baker performed for integrated audiences of French and American troops. She also served as a member of the French Resistance forces and smuggled messages in her lyrics that were sent back to France from opposing forces. She received the