She was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 3, 1906 to washerwoman Carrie McDonald and vaudeville drummer Eddie Carson. Eddie abandoned them shortly afterward, and Carrie married a kind but perpetually unemployed man named Arthur Martin. Their family eventually grew to include a son and two more daughters.
At Age 8, she was employed as a housekeeper and maid. After years of abuse by her employer, she ran away and became a homeless child on the streets of St. Louis by age 12. She started out as a dancer, performing with a dance group. Baker moved to New York in the 1920s and appeared in the musical Shuffle Along and performed at the famed Harlem hotspot, the Cotton Club.
In 1925, Josephine Baker went to Paris where, after the jazz revue La Revue Nègre failed, her comic ability and jazz dancing drew attention of the director of the Folies Bergère. She became one of the best-known entertainers in both France and much of Europe. Her exotic, sensual act reinforced the creative images coming out of the Harlem Renaissance in America.
Josephine served France during World War II in several ways. She performed for the troops, and was an honorable correspondent for the French Resistance (undercover work included smuggling secret messages written on her music sheets) and a sub-lieutenant in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She was later awarded the Medal of the Resistance with Rosette and named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French government for hard work and dedication.
After years of success in Europe, Josephine visited the United States. Not much had changed toward racism. She still felt the same ridicule that she had faced as a small child. It was also during this time that she began adopting children, forming a family she often referred to as "The Rainbow Tribe." Josephine wanted her to prove that "children of different ethnicities and religions could still be brothers." She often took the children with her cross-country, and when they were at Les Milandes tours were arranged so visitors could walk the grounds and see how natural and happy the children in "The Rainbow Tribe" were.
On April 8, 1975 Josephine premiered at the Bobino Theater in Paris. Celebrities such as Princess Grace of Monaco and Sophia Loren were in attendance to see 68-year-old Josephine perform a medley of routines from her 50 year career. The reviews were among her best ever. Days later, however, Josephine slipped into a coma. She died from a cerebral hemorrhage at 5 a.m. on April 12.
Simply remarkable.
7 comments:
This is an incredibly moving piece, Kimmie. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
As a blonde, white, middle-class English girl I have much to learn here and I feel I am benefiting from this series immensely. Perhaps the one rare exception is Josephine Baker having stumbled across a little memorial to her in the French countryside some years ago. For the French to have taken to her the way they have there must have been something very special about her. Thanks to both Kimmie and Camille for this series particularly all the hard work that has gone into it. We may well lean to the saucy and erotic here but we can also take on the big issues which I suspect is why we have so many readers.
Josephine it seems was a very beautiful person in more ways than one.
Thanks Saffy, but it is not the end with Josephine. *smiles* I would really like to elaborate on the memorial you saw in France. I just need sources, unless you would like to share your experience. Just racking my brain trying to find good websites and books to reference right now.
Camille glad you liked it, you do know next month is womens history month. Can't wait to write an article on woman's right to vote:)
Another well written piece Kimmie, as usual. It seems you and Camille just keep raising the bar.
We do erotic pictures and humor pieces,and tackle some some serious issues and the like,now and then. It's great to know others can do serious and well thought out pieces, and articles, that provoke thought.
Well done, and thanks for sharing this.
Thanks Nicky, i hope you are not one of the few who think this way:)
Not one of the few who think this way ?
Meaning nicky, i hope you are one of the few who do think this way, NOT one of the few who don't. My badness, on words....oooopsy.
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