Josephine baker biography timeline graphic organizer

American-born French dancer, singer, defiance member and actress (1906–1975)

For time away people named Josephine Baker, hunch Josephine Baker (disambiguation).

Josephine Baker
Baker in 1940
Born	Freda Josephine McDonald (1906-06-03)June 3, 1906 St. Louis, Missouri, US
Died	April 12, 1975(1975-04-12) (aged 68) Paris, France
Resting place	Panthéon
Nationality	American (renounced) French (1937–1975)
Occupation(s)	Vedette, singer, dancer, sportsman, civil rights activist, French Refusal agent
Years active	1921–1975
Spouses	Willie Wells ​ ​ (m. 1919; div. 1919)​ William Baker ​ ​ (m. 1921; div. 1925)​ Jean Lion ​ ​ (m. 1937; div. 1940)​ Jo Bouillon ​ ​ (m. 1947; div. 1961)​
Partner(s)	Robert Brady (1973–1975)
Children	12; Jean-Claude Baker debonair himself as her foster laddie (contested by the Baker children[1][2])
Musical career
Genres
Instrument	Vocals
Labels
Musical artist

Freda Josephine Baker (née McDonald; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American-born French dancer, balladeer, and actress.

Her career was centered primarily in Europe, in the main in France. She was high-mindedness first black woman to taking in a major motion ask, the 1927 French silent pick up Siren of the Tropics, sure by Mario Nalpas and Henri Étiévant.^[3]

During her early career, Baker was among the most esteemed performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère rip apart Paris.

Her performance in academic 1927 revue Un vent musical folie caused a sensation satisfy the city. Her costume, consisting only of a short body-swerve of artificial bananas and a-one beaded necklace, became an iconic image and a symbol both of the Jazz Age obscure the Roaring Twenties. Baker was celebrated by artists and highbrows of the era, who diversely dubbed her the "Black Venus", the "Black Pearl", the "Bronze Venus", and the "Creole Goddess".^[4] Born in St.

Louis, Siouan, she renounced her U.S. heritage and became a French racial after her marriage to Gallic industrialist Jean Lion in 1937.^[5] She raised her children oppress France.

Baker aided the Country Resistance during World War II.^[6] After the war, she was awarded the Resistance Medal newborn the French Committee of Folk Liberation, the Croix de Guerre by the French military, prep added to was named a Chevalier pay for the Legion of Honour exceed General Charles de Gaulle.^[7] Baker sang: "I have two loves: my country and Paris."^[8] Create November 30, 2021, Baker was inducted into the Panthéon change into Paris, the first black bride to receive one of righteousness highest honors in France.^[9] Bit her resting place remains border line Monaco Cemetery, a cenotaph was installed in vault 13 carry-on the crypt in the Panthéon.^[10]

Baker, who refused to perform optimism segregated audiences in the Concerted States, is also noted fetch her contributions to the domestic rights movement.

In 1968, she was offered unofficial leadership purchase the movement in the Pooled States by Coretta Scott Majesty, following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. After thinking it see the sights, Baker declined the offer move of concern for the profit of her children.^[11][12][13]

Early life

Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St.

Louis, Missouri.^[11][14][15] Baker's ancestry is unknown—her mother, Carrie, was adopted in Little Stone, Arkansas, in 1886 by Richard and Elvira McDonald, both stencil whom were former slaves bring in African and Native American descent.^[11] Baker's estate identifies vaudeville store owner Eddie Carson as her going against nature father despite evidence to honesty contrary.^[16] In 1993, Josephine Baker's foster son Jean-Claude Baker publicised a biography titled Josephine: Loftiness hungry Heart, which was goodness culmination of decades of complete research into Baker's life extremity career.

In the book, crystal-clear discusses at length the life style surrounding Baker's birth:

The archives of the city of Coy. Louis tell an almost unimaginable story. They show that (Baker's mother) Carrie McDonald ... was admitted to the (exclusively white) Female Hospital on May 3, 1906, diagnosed as pregnant.

She was discharged on June 17, her baby, Freda J. McDonald having been born two weeks earlier. Why six weeks focal point the hospital? Especially for first-class black woman (of that time) who would customarily have locked away her baby at home co-worker the help of a midwife? ... The father was unfaltering (on the birth certificate) intelligibly as "Edw"...

I think Josephine's father was white—so did Josephine, so did her family...people pin down St. Louis say that (Baker's mother) had worked for shipshape and bristol fashion German family (around the regarding she became pregnant)... I maintain unraveled many mysteries associated catch on Josephine Baker, but the leading painful mystery of her being, the mystery of her father's identity, I could not surpass.

The secret died with Carrie, who refused to the try to talk about it. She let people think Eddie Backwoodsman was the father, and Frontiersman played along, (but) Josephine knew better.^[11]

Josephine McDonald spent her trusty life on 212 Targee Way (known by some St. Prizefighter residents as Johnson Street) security the Chestnut Valley neighborhood raise St.

Louis, a racially impure low-income area near Union Status, consisting mainly of rooming shield, brothels, and apartments without interior plumbing.^[11] She was poorly stripped, hungry as a child, captain developed street smarts playing rafter the railroad yards of Uniting Station.^[17]

Her mother married Arthur Histrion, "a kind but perpetually unoccupied man", with whom she abstruse a son and two explain daughters.^[18] She took in laundry; her mother placed her far due to her family instruct impoverished;^[19] she worked there interpolate order to increase the mode of her family and, riches eight years old, Josephine began working as a live-in maid for white families in Hysteria.

Louis.^[20] One woman abused refuse, burning Josephine's hands when description young girl put too still soap in the laundry.^[21]

Guarantee 1917, when she was 11, a terrified Josephine McDonald deponented racial violence in East File. Louis.^[22] In a speech ripen later, she recalled what she had seen:

I can still regulate myself standing on the westward bank of the Mississippi forwardthinking over into East St.

Prizefighter and watching the glow push the burning of Negro dwellings lighting the sky. We breed stood huddled together in awe ... frightened to death obey the screams of the Iniquitous families running across this break off with nothing but what they had on their backs type their worldly belongings... So congregate this vision I ran increase in intensity ran and ran...^[23]

By age 12, she had dropped out support school.^[24] At 13, she faked as a waitress at authority Old Chauffeur's Club at 3133 Pine Street.

She also momentary as a street child intimate the slums of St. Gladiator, sleeping in cardboard shelters, scavenging for food in garbage cans,^[25] making a living with street-corner dancing. It was at primacy Old Chauffeur's Club that Josephine met Willie Wells, whom she married at age 13, nevertheless the marriage lasted less rather than a year.

Following her disunion from Wells, she found industry with a street performance calling called the Jones Family Band.^[26]

In her teens, she struggled sort out have a healthy relationship proper her mother, who opposed put your feet up becoming an entertainer and scolded her for not tending motivate her second husband, William Actor Baker, whom she had ringed in 1921, at age 15.^[27] She soon left him while in the manner tha her vaudeville troupe was held into a New York Movement venue.

They divorced in 1925, during a period when bake career success was beginning. Come to light, she continued to use circlet last name professionally for depiction rest of her life.^[11] Scour Baker was often on magnanimity road, returning with gifts settle down money for her mother ride younger half-sister, larger career opportunities drew her farther afield, interrupt France.^[28]

Career

Early career

Baker's unrelenting badgering vacation a local show manager nononsense to her recruitment for glory St.

Louis Chorus vaudeville point. At the age of 13, she headed to New Dynasty City^[23] during the Harlem Reawakening and performed at the Farm Club, Florence Mills's old stomping ground. After several auditions, she secured a role in rendering chorus line of a junket production of the groundbreaking cranium hugely successful Broadway revue "Shuffle Along" (1921)^[29] that helped take public attention to Florence Grind, Paul Robeson, and Adelaide Hall.^[30][31]

In "Shuffle Along", Baker was well-organized dancer at the end mean a chorus line.

Fearing she might be overshadowed by honesty others, she used her tidy to introduce a hint indicate comedy into her routine, manufacture her stand out from deduct fellow dancers. She began manner "Shuffle Along" with one holdup the U.S. touring companies, however, once she came of exposй, she was transferred to righteousness Broadway production, where she remained for several months, until probity show closed, in 1923.

Catch on, Baker was cast in "The Chocolate Dandies", a revue lose concentration opened on September 1, 1924. Again, she was relegated jab the chorus line. The functioning ran for 96 performances, at the last moment closing in November 1925.

Pre War Paris and rise be fame

Baker sailed to Paris derive 1925 and opened on Oct 2 in "la Revue nègre [fr]" at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.^[32][33] She was 19 at the put on ice.

In a 1974 interview junk The Guardian, she explained defer her first big break came in this bustling European city:

"No, I didn't get adhesive first break on Broadway. Hysterical was only in the concert in 'Shuffle Along' and 'Chocolate Dandies.' I became famous cap in France in the mid-twenties.

I just couldn't stand Ground and I was one work out the first coloured Americans loom move to Paris. Oh bow to, Bricktop was there as nicely. Me and her were nobleness only two, and we confidential a marvellous time. Of complete, everyone who was anyone knew Bricky. And they got spoil know Miss Baker as well."^[34]

In Paris, she became an time success for her erotic saltation and for appearing practically uncovered onstage.

After a successful take shape of Europe, she broke composite contract and returned to Author in 1926 to star be redolent of the Folies Bergère, setting position standard for her future acts.^[11]

Baker performed the Danse Sauvage, trying little more than a meet of strung-together artificial bananas.

Pretty up success coincided with the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, which gave birth to the fame "Art Deco", as well translation a renewed interest in non-Western art forms, including those forfeit African origin, which Baker would represent. In later shows urgency Paris, she was often attended on stage by her living thing cheetah, "Chiquita", donning a carbon collar.

Chiquita frequently escaped crash into the orchestra pit, terrorizing glory musicians and adding another signal of excitement to the show.^[11]

After a while, Baker became greatness most successful American entertainer sidewalk France. Ernest Hemingway called have a lot to do with "the most sensational woman a certain ever saw."^[35][36] The author fatigued hours talking with her intensity Parisian bars.

Picasso depicted circlet alluring beauty. Jean Cocteau became friendly with her and helped vault her to international stardom.^[34] Baker endorsed a "Bakerfix" wool gel, as well as nuts, shoes, and cosmetics, among hit products.

In 1929, Baker became loftiness first African-American star to look in on Yugoslavia, which she included erect a tour through Central Accumulation via the Orient Express.

Call a halt Belgrade, she performed at City Balkanska, then the city's height luxurious venue. In a bob to local culture, she deception a Pirot kilim in multifaceted routine, and donated some shambles the show's proceeds to destitute children of Serbia. In Zagreb, adoring crowds greeted her smack of the train station, but resistance from local clergy and ethics police led to the annulment of some of her shows.^[38]

During her travels in Yugoslavia, Baker was accompanied by "Count" Giuseppe Pepito Abatino.^[38] At the slope of her career in Writer, Abatino, a Sicilian former journeyman who passed himself off whereas a count, persuaded her count up let him manage her.^[39] Sharp-tasting became not only Baker's supervisor, but her lover as spasm.

The two could not join in matrimony because she was not as yet divorced from her second hoard, Willie Baker.^[40]

During this period, she released her most successful tune, "J'ai deux amours" (1931).^[41] Distinction song expresses the sentiment defer "I have two loves, unfocused country and Paris." In efficient 2007 book, Tim Bergfelder, Stalk Harris, and Sarah Street hypothetical that "by the 1930's, Baker's assimilation into French popular refinement had been completed by move up association with the song." She starred in four films, which found success only in Europe: the silent filmSiren of authority Tropics (1927), Zouzou (1934) beam Princesse Tam Tam (1935).

She starred in Fausse Alerte extract 1940.^[43] Bergfelder, Harris, and Usage wrote that the silent pelt Siren of the Tropics "rehearses the 'primitive-to-Parisienne' narrative that would become the staple of Baker's cinema career, and exploited wrench particular her comic stage mask based on loose-limbed athleticism weather artful clumsiness." The sound pictures "Zouzou" (1934) and "Princesse Cap Tam" were both star vehicles for Baker.

Under the management match Abatino, Baker's stage and defeat persona, as well as give something the thumbs down singing voice, were transformed.

Think it over 1934, she took the subtract in a revival of Jacques Offenbach's opera La créole, which premiered in December of defer year for a six-month assemble at the Théâtre Marigny in the bag the Champs-Élysées of Paris. Subtract preparation for her performances, she went through months of way with a vocal coach. Subtract the words of Shirley Bassey, who has cited Baker whereas her primary influence, "... she went from a petite danseuse sauvage with a decent voice just now la grande diva magnifique... I vow in all my life Frantic have never seen, and likely never shall see again, much a spectacular singer and performer."^[45]

Despite her popularity in France, Baker never attained the equivalent well-brought-up in America.

Her star approval in a 1936 revival break on "Ziegfeld Follies" on Broadway was not commercially successful, and succeeding in the run she was replaced by Gypsy Rose Lee.^[46][47]Time magazine referred to her makeover a "Negro wench ... whose dancing and singing might fleece topped anywhere outside of Paris", while other critics said in exchange voice was "too thin" enthralled "dwarf-like" to fill the Coldness Garden Theatre.^[46] She returned detonation Europe heartbroken.^[32] This contributed lambast Baker's becoming a legal lodger of France and giving delegation her American citizenship.^[11]

Baker returned take a look at Paris in 1937, married high-mindedness French industrialist Jean Lion, extort became a French citizen.^[48] They were married in the Gallic town of Crèvecœur-le-Grand, in efficient wedding presided over by honourableness mayor, Jammy Schmidt.

Between 1933 and 1937, Baker was orderly guest at the start think likely the Tour de France carry on four occasions.^[49]

In 1938, after supple severe hostility in Germany build up Eastern Europe during the usual 1920s—where she was targeted contempt storm troopers with ammonia bombs and told to "Go cause offence to Africa"—Josephine Baker became deft French citizen by marrying Trousers Lion in 1937.

This low event in her life spurred her to actively participate mend the French Resistance against prestige Nazis.^[50]

World War II

In September 1939, when France declared war idiom Germany in response to righteousness invasion of Poland, Baker was recruited by the Deuxième Chiffonier, the French military intelligence intermediation, as an "honorable correspondent".

Baker worked with Jacques Abtey, dignity head of French counterintelligence force Paris. She socialized with high-mindedness Germans at embassies, ministries, shady clubs, charming them while furtively gathering information. Her café-society term enabled her to rub rub elbows with those in the remember, from high-ranking Japanese officials make Italian and Vichy bureaucrats, proclamation to Abtey what she heard.

She attended parties and collected information at the Italian envoys without raising suspicion. Baker's secret service work went beyond merely gettogether information at social events. She collected detailed intelligence on Germanic troop movements, as well chimpanzee the locations and activities elect airfields and harbors.

Confident heritage her celebrity status and glory protections it afforded, Baker reputed she could operate without tending suspicion. To covertly transport reactive information, she used ingenious channelss, such as writing notes gel her hands and arms, pinning them inside her clothing, turf using invisible ink. Her face paid off, allowing her come to an end smuggle intelligence across borders extremity deliver critical reports to illustriousness French Resistance.^[52]

When the Germans invaded France, Baker left Paris skull went to the Château stilbesterol Milandes, her home in rank Dordognedépartement in the south innumerable France.

The Château des Milandes became, especially in World Battle II, one of the almost important hideaways; She would comprise resistance fighters and Jewish refugees, providing them with documents prosperous even money for food, stuff the clergy, and forged documents she customarily financed herself. Her estate further provided the center of opposition activities, including the installation invite a radio transmitter in train to be in touch fellow worker the Allied forces and storing weapons in its cellar.^[53] Monkey an entertainer, Baker had block excuse for moving around Collection, visiting neutral nations such in the same way Portugal, as well as wretched in South America.

She in information for transmission to England, about airfields, harbors, and Germanic troop concentrations in the Westward of France. Notes were graphical in invisible ink on Baker's sheet music.^[55] As described block Jazz Cleopatra, "She specialized infiltrate gatherings at embassies and ministries, charming people as she difficult to understand always done, but at goodness same time trying to look back interesting items to transmit".^[38]

Later fit in 1941, she and her associates went to the French colonies in North Africa.

The affirmed reason was Baker's health (since she was recovering from on case of pneumonia), but description real reason was to persist in helping the Resistance. From copperplate base in Morocco, she troublefree tours of Spain. She stick notes with the information she gathered inside her underwear. She met the Pasha of Marrakech, whose support helped her burn to the ground a miscarriage (the last flash several).

After the miscarriage, she developed an infection so stern it required a hysterectomy. Influence infection spread and she complex peritonitis and then sepsis. Afterward her recovery (which she extended to fall in and indeterminate of), she started touring run alongside entertain British, French, and Land soldiers in North Africa.

Prestige Free French had no smooth-running entertainment network for their troop, so Baker and her apartment managed for the most divulge on their own. They lawful no civilians and charged thumb admission.

After the war, Baker was awarded the Resistance Medal bid the French Committee of State-run Liberation, the Croix de Guerre by the French military, swallow was named a Chevalier allude to the Légion d'honneur by Common Charles de Gaulle.^[7]

Baker's last confederation, to French composer and administrator Jo Bouillon, ended around rendering time she adopted her Eleventh child.^[40]

Post War

In 1949, a reinvented Baker returned in triumph protect the Folies Bergère.

Bolstered outdo recognition of her wartime courage, Baker the performer assumed systematic new gravitas, unafraid to engage in on serious music or issue matter. The engagement was undiluted rousing success and reestablished Baker as one of Paris' maximum entertainers. In 1951, Baker was invited back to the Combined States for a nightclub promise in Miami.

After winning a- public battle over desegregating grandeur club's audience, Baker followed addition her sold-out run at ethics club with a national profile. Rave reviews and enthusiastic audiences accompanied her everywhere, climaxed invitation a parade in Harlem jagged honor of her new title: NAACP's "Woman of the Year".^[57][58]

In 1952, Baker was hired retain crown the Queen of description Cavalcade of Jazz for birth famed eighth Cavalcade of Wind concert held at Wrigley Specialism in Los Angeles, which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr.

on June 1. Also featured to perform that day were Roy Brown and His Powerful Men, Anna Mae Winburn settle down Her Sweethearts, Toni Harper, Gladiator Jordan, Jimmy Witherspoon and Jerry Wallace.^[59][60]

An incident at the Stork Club in October 1951 infringed and overturned her plans.

Baker criticized the club's unwritten game plan of discouraging Black patrons, exploitation scolded columnist Walter Winchell, modification old ally, for not unable to make up your mind to her defense. Winchell responded swiftly with a series think likely harsh public rebukes, including accusations of Communist sympathies (a solemn charge at the time).

Class ensuing publicity resulted in picture termination of Baker's work transit, forcing her to cancel communal her engagements and return turn into France. It was almost on the rocks decade before U.S. officials legitimate her back into the country.^[61]

In January 1966, Fidel Castro salutation Baker to perform at grandeur "Teatro Musical de La Habana" in Havana, Cuba, at ethics seventh-anniversary celebrations of his turn.

Her spectacular show in Apr broke attendance records. In 1968, Baker visited Yugoslavia and strenuous appearances in Belgrade and bonding agent Skopje. In her later activity, Baker faced financial troubles. She commented, "Nobody wants me, they've forgotten me"; but family affiliates encouraged her to continue execution.

In 1973 she performed at the same height Carnegie Hall to a moored ovation.

The following year, she emerged in a Royal Variety Proceeding at the London Palladium, squeeze then at the Monegasque Open space Cross Gala, celebrating her 50 years in French show job. Advancing years and exhaustion began to take their toll; she sometimes had trouble remembering argument, and her speeches between songs tended to ramble.

She on level pegging continued to captivate audiences oust all ages.

Civil rights activism

Although homemade in France, Baker supported high-mindedness American Civil Rights Movement next to the 1950s. When she disembarked in New York with yield husband Jo, they were refused reservations at 36 hotels on account of of racial discrimination.

This dripping her to write several relative to about segregation in the Allied States. She also traveled layer the South, giving a cajole at Fisk University, a historically black college in Nashville, River, on "France, North Africa jaunt the Equality of the Races in France". In the Fifties the FBI tracked everything she did; opening a file to be expected her.

The intent of exposure so was to deter on the subject of countries from allowing her thicken take the stage. During veto travels to foreign countries, she would leverage her influence be in breach of bring light to the genetic discrimination in the United States which created a rift amidst her and her homeland.^[65]

On Oct 16, 1951, Josephine Baker not easy a public incident where she was said to have antique refused service at the upscale Stork Club in New Royalty City.

Determined to expose that injustice, Baker set out encircling publicize her story, expecting occasion from one of America's summit powerful conservative journalists and lone of the regulars at blue blood the gentry club: Walter Winchell. Instead stir up solidarizing with Baker, Winchell launched a media attack on move backward.

He labeled her as set anti-American communist sympathizer, which soiled the public attention away foreign the discrimination she had substantiate face. This was an happening that proved that, on memory hand, Baker faced racism, time on the other, influential common were also up against will not hear of efforts to fight against excellence same.

Undaunted by such contender, she continued to use go backward platform to advocate for civilized rights and challenge systemic injustice.^[50]

She refused to perform for hidden audiences in the United States, although she was offered $10,000 by a Miami club;^[6] depiction club eventually met her insistence.

Her insistence on mixed audiences helped to integrate live distraction shows in the Las Vegas Valley.^[12] After this incident, she began receiving threatening phone calls from people claiming to last from the Ku Klux Fto but said publicly that she was not afraid of them.

In 1951, Baker made charges on the way out racism against Sherman Billingsley's Stork Club in Manhattan, where she had been refused service.^[61][67] Team member actor Grace Kelly, who was extra the club at the pause, rushed over to Baker, took her by the arm sit stormed out with her inclusive party, vowing never to reappear (although she returned on 3 January 1956 with Prince Rainier of Monaco).

The two brigade became close friends after class incident.^[68]

When Baker was near miscalculation, Kelly—by then the princess consort—offered her a villa and fiscal assistance. (During his work genre the "Stork Club" book, penman and "New York Times" newspaperman Ralph Blumenthal was contacted moisten Jean-Claude Baker, one of Baker's sons.

He indicated that misstep had read his mother's Efficacious file and, using comparison endorse the file to the tapes, said he thought the Stork Club incident was overblown.^[69])

Baker also worked with the NAACP.^[6] Her reputation as a campaigner grew to such an unequivocal that the NAACP had Commendable, May 20, 1951, declared "Josephine Baker Day".

She was be on fire with life membership with probity NAACP by Nobel Peace Like winner Ralph Bunche. The observe she was paid spurred to further her crusading efforts with the "Save Willie McGee" rally. McGee was a jet man in Mississippi convicted nigh on raping a white woman delete 1945 on the basis have dubious evidence, and sentenced loom death.

Baker attended rallies cherish McGee and wrote letters pass on Fielding Wright, the governor for Mississippi, asking him to supernumerary McGee's life. Despite her efforts, McGee was executed in 1951. As the decorated war leader who was bolstered by honesty racial equality she experienced have as a feature Europe, Baker became increasingly judged as controversial; some black pass around even began to shun grouping, fearing that her outspokenness countryside racy reputation from her early years would hurt the cause.

In 1963, she spoke at birth March on Washington at class side of Rev.

Martin Theologian King Jr.^[72] Baker was honesty only official female speaker. Interminably wearing her Free French regimentals emblazoned with her medal manager the Légion d'honneur, she naturalized the "Negro Women for Cosmopolitan Rights".^[73]Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates were among those she recognize, and both gave brief speeches.^[74] Not everyone involved wanted Baker present at the March; good thought her time overseas confidential made her a woman chief France, one who was separated from the Civil Rights issues going on in America.

Pimple her speech, one of righteousness things Baker said:

I control walked into the palaces prop up kings and queens, and jounce the houses of presidents extort much more. But I could not walk into a breakfast in America and get neat as a pin cup of coffee, and consider it made me mad. And during the time that I get mad, you place that I open my expansive mouth.

And then look devotee, 'cause when Josephine opens mouth, they hear it exchange blows over the world ...^[75][76]

After King's assassination, his widow Coretta Player King approached Baker in decency Netherlands to ask if she would take her husband's mess as leader of the Domestic Rights Movement.

After many age of thinking it over, Baker declined, saying her children were "too young to lose their mother."^[74][77]

Personal life

Relationships

Baker's first marriage was to American Pullman porter Willie Wells when she was unique 13 years old.

The unity was reportedly very unhappy, abstruse the couple divorced soon sustenance marrying. Another short-lived marriage followed in 1921, to William Player Baker. Since her career was already taking off under ensure last name, she retained cleanse after the divorce. Jean-Claude Baker wrote that Josephine was hermaphroditical and had several relationships fulfil women.^[78]

In 1925, she began chiefly extramarital relationship with the European novelist Georges Simenon.^[79] On brainstorm ocean liner, in 1929, fighting fit route from South America bring out France, Baker had an undertaking with the Swiss-French architect Solution Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret).^[80] In 1937, Baker married Frenchman Jean Warrior big name, but they separated in 1940.

She married French composer station conductor Jo Bouillon in 1947, and their union lasted 14 years before also ending deception divorce. Later, she was difficult with the artist Robert Photographer for a time, but they never married.^[81] Speculation exists depart Baker was also involved on the run sexual liaisons, if not storekeeper business, with blues singer Clara Mormon, Ada "Bricktop" Smith, French man of letters Colette, and Frida Kahlo.^[78][82]

Children

During show someone the door participation in the civil put movement, Baker began to accept as one's own children, forming a family which she often referred to because "The Rainbow Tribe".

Baker craved to prove that "children refreshing different ethnicities and religions could still be brothers." She many times took the children with disallow cross-country, and when they were at Château des Milandes, she arranged tours so visitors could walk the grounds and shroud how natural and happy goodness children were in "The Rainbow Tribe".^[83] Her estate featured hotels, a farm, rides, and illustriousness children singing and dancing affection the audience.

She charged encyclopaedia admission fee to visitors who entered and partook in distinction activities, which included watching picture children play.^[84]

She created dramatic backstories for them, picking them fit clear intent in mind: get rid of impurities one point, she wanted person in charge planned to adopt a Human baby, but she settled oblige a French one.

She likewise raised them in different religions in order to further spurn model for the world, engaging two children from Algeria splendid raising one child as organized Muslim and raising the on the subject of child as a Catholic. Give someone a jingle member of the Tribe, Jean-Claude Baker, said: "She wanted undiluted doll".^[85]

Baker raised two daughters, French-born Marianne and Moroccan-born Stellina, explode 10 sons, Japanese-born Janot (born Teruya) and Akio,^[86][87]Colombian-born Luis, Finnish-born Jari (now Jarry), French-born Jean-Claude, Noël, and Moïse, Algerian-born Brahim (later Brian), Ivorian-born Koffi, person in charge Venezuelan-born Mara.^[88][89] Later on, Josephine Baker would become the permitted guardian of another boy, too named Jean-Claude, and considered him an unofficial addition to distinction Rainbow Tribe.

For some heart, Baker lived with her progeny and an enormous staff thwart the château in Dordogne, Author, with her fourth husband, Jo Bouillon. Bouillon claimed that Baker bore one child, though bin was stillborn in 1941, nourish incident that precipitated an distress hysterectomy.

Baker forced Jarry to relinquish the château and live in opposition to his adoptive father, Jo Stock, in Argentina, at the boulevard of 15, after discovering think it over he was gay (though scheduled appears that the two were able to reconcile in ulterior years.)^[91][92][93] Moïse died of carcinoma in 1999, and Noël was diagnosed with schizophrenia and deterioration in a psychiatric hospital tempt of 2009.^[94]Jean-Claude Baker, the unauthorized addition to the Rainbow Division, committed suicide in 2015, grey 71.^[95]

Later years and death

In time out later years Baker converted cling on to Catholicism.^[96] In 1968, Baker gone her château owing to unsettled debts; afterwards Princess Grace offered her an apartment in Roquebrune, near Monaco.^[97]

Baker was back school stage at the Olympia elation Paris in 1968, in Beograd and at Carnegie Hall outing 1973 and at the Imperial Variety Performance at the Author Palladium and at the "Gala du Cirque" in Paris renovate 1974.

On April 8, 1975, Baker starred in a demonstration revue at the Bobino operate Paris, "Joséphine à Bobino 1975" celebrating her 50 years gratify show business. The revue, financed by Prince Rainier, Princess Charm, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, unfasten to rave reviews. Demand get into seating was such that fold-out chairs had to be extend to accommodate spectators.

The opening-night audience included Sophia Loren, Mick Jagger, Shirley Bassey, Diana Press out and Liza Minnelli.^[98]

Four days posterior, Baker was found lying peaceful in her bed surrounded get ahead of newspapers with glowing reviews exhaustive her performance. She was surprise a coma after suffering smashing cerebral hemorrhage.

She was expressionless to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where she died, aged 68, on Apr 12, 1975.^[98][99]

Baker received a adequate Catholic funeral at L'Église creep la Madeleine, attracting more outweigh 20,000 mourners.^[96][100] The only American-born woman to receive full Romance military honors at her inhumation, Baker's funeral was the occurrence of a huge procession.

End a family service at Saint-Charles Church in Monte Carlo,^[101] Baker was interred at the Cimetière de Monaco.^{[98][102][103]}

Baker was a Freemason.^[104]

Legacy

"Place Joséphine Baker" (48°50′29″N2°19′26″E / 48.84135°N 2.32375°E / 48.84135; 2.32375 (place Joséphine Baker)) in the Montparnasse Quarter of Paris was styled in her honor.

She has also been inducted into rendering St. Louis Walk of Fame,^[105] and on March 29, 1995, into the Hall of Acclaimed Missourians.^[106] St. Louis's Channing Route was renamed Josephine Baker Boulevard,^[107] and a wax sculpture bargain Baker is on permanent demonstration at The Griot Museum disturb Black History.

In 2015, she was inducted into the Gift Walk in Chicago, Illinois.^[108] Prestige Piscine Joséphine Baker is unembellished swimming pool along the botanist of the Seine in Town named after her.^[109]

Writing in nobleness online BBC Magazine in tardy 2014, Darren Royston, historical reposition teacher at RADA, credited Baker with being the Beyoncé line of attack her day, and bringing high-mindedness Charleston to Britain.^[110] Two incessantly Baker's sons, Jean-Claude and Jarry (Jari), grew up to prepared into business together, running ethics restaurant Chez Josephine on Theatricalism Row, 42nd Street, New Dynasty City.

It celebrates Baker's have a go and works.^[111]

Château des Milandes, clever castle near Sarlat in blue blood the gentry Dordogne, was Baker's home place she raised her twelve descendants. It is open to high-mindedness public and displays her event outfits including her banana touch (of which there are at first glance several).

It also displays several family photographs and documents slightly well as her Legion atlas Honour medal. Most rooms peal open for the public border on walk through including bedrooms and the cots where her descendants slept, a huge kitchen, predominant a dining room where she often entertained large groups. Description bathrooms were designed in break up deco style but most collection retained the French chateau style.^[112][113]

Baker continued to influence celebrities very than a century after supreme birth.

In a 2003 audience with USA Today, Angelina Jolie cited Baker as "a replica for the multiracial, multinational lineage she was beginning to protrude through adoption."^[114] Beyoncé performed Baker's banana dance at the Respect Rocks concert at Radio Expanse Music Hall in September 2006.^[114]

As a commemoration of Baker's see to hundredth birthday, a multi-media accomplishment was written and shown encircle 2006.

The following year, Josephine Baker: A Life of Wrong Jazz Hot! was recorded the Baker inspired production tough Imani Winds.^[115][116]

Writing on the Hundredandtenth anniversary of her birth, Vogue described how her 1926 "danse sauvage" in her famous herb skirt "brilliantly manipulated the ivory male imagination" and "radically redefined notions of race and relations through style and performance razorsharp a way that continues confine echo throughout fashion and symphony today, from Prada to Beyoncé."^[117]

On June 3, 2017, the 111th anniversary of her birth, Msn released an animated Google Write, which consists of a slideshow chronicling her life and achievements.^[118]

On Thursday, November 22, 2018, nifty documentary entitled Josephine Baker: Leadership Story of an Awakening, required by Ilana Navaro, premiered pleasing the Beirut Art Film Celebration.

It contains rarely seen archival footage, including some never previously discovered, with music and narration.^[119]

In August 2019, Baker was undeniable of those inducted in magnanimity Rainbow Honor Walk, a tread of fame in San Francisco's Castro District noting LGBTQ hand out who have "made significant offerings in their fields".^{[120][121][122]}

The Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Berlin State Museums) hosted an exhibition "Josephine Baker: Icon in Motion" from Jan 26 through April 28, 2024.^[123] The show displays photographs, integument, and drawings covering her amusement career through her involvement notch civil rights.

The exhibit includes Baker inspired works by contemporaries.^[124]

Josephine Baker appears on honourableness French 20-cent euro coins on the loose in March 2024.^[125]

Panthéon in Paris

In May 2021, an online entreat was set up by essayist Laurent Kupferman asking that Joséphine Baker be honoured by for one person reburied at the Panthéon esteem Paris or being granted Panthéon honours, which would make dead heat only the sixth woman surprise victory the mausoleum alongside Simone Curl, Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz, Marie Ci, Germaine Tillion, and Sophie Berthelot.^[126] In August 2021 the Country President, Emmanuel Macron, announced dump Baker's remains would be reburied at the Panthéon in Nov 2021, following the petition submit continued requests from Baker's brotherhood since 2013.^[127] Her son Claude Bouillon-Baker, however, told Agence France-Presse that her body would stay behind in Monaco and only uncomplicated plaque would be installed sharpen up the Panthéon.^[128] It was after announced that a symbolic coffer containing soil from various locations where Baker had lived, together with St.

Louis, Paris, the Southern of France and Monaco, would be carried by the Sculptor Air and Space Force cattle a parade in Paris hitherto a ceremony at the Panthéon where the casket was interred.^[129] The ceremony took place digression Tuesday, November 30, 2021, alight Baker thus became the greatest black woman to be easy in the secular temple trigger the "great men" of rendering French Republic.^[130][9]

Works portraying or divine by Baker

Film and television

Diana Nonstop portrayed Baker in her Overdone Award-winning Broadway and television put on an act "An Evening with Diana Ross".

When the show was imposture into an NBC television unusual entitled The Big Event: Let down Evening with Diana Ross, Collect again portrayed Baker.^[131] In honesty 1981 film Das Boot, a German submariner mimics Baker's Danse banane.^[132] In 1991, Baker's woman story, The Josephine Baker Story, was broadcast on HBO.

Lynn Whitfield portrayed Baker,^[133] and won an Emmy Award for Prominent Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special—becoming the premier Black actress to win authority award in this category. Wealthy the 1997 animated musical pelt Anastasia, Baker appears with back up cheetah during the musical back issue "Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)".^[134][135] In 2002, Baker was portrayed by Karine Plantadit in the biopic Frida.^[136][137] Well-ordered character who is based mind Baker (topless, wearing the renowned "banana skirt") appears in nobility opening sequence of the 2003 animated film The Triplets enjoy Belleville (Les Triplettes de Belleville).^[138]

Her influence upon and assistance give in the careers of the groom and wife dancers Carmen Show off Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder criticize discussed and illustrated in unusual footage in the 2005 Linda Atkinson/Nick Doob documentary, Carmen topmost Geoffrey.^[139][140] In 2011, Sonia Rolland portrayed Baker in the tegument casing Midnight in Paris.^[141][142] In Feb 2017, Tiffany Daniels portrayed Baker in the "Timeless" television incident "The Lost Generation".^[143] In Might 2020, Astrid Jones portrayed Baker in the El ministerio depict tiempo television episode "La memoria del tiempo" (The memory livestock time).^[144] Baker is portrayed saturate actress Carra Patterson in "I Am.", the seventh episode break into HBO's television series Lovecraft Country.^[145]

A biopic about the life sponsor Josephine Baker was announced hamper November 2022.

It will tweak directed by French director Maïmouna Doucouré and produced by Country production company Studiocanal.^[146][147]

Stage

In 1986, Helen Gelzer^[148] portrayed Baker on justness concept album Josephine – "a musical version of the philosophy and times of Josephine Baker" with book, lyrics and theme by Michael Wild.^[149] The lyrical director was Paul Maguire.

Representation album was produced in amalgam with Baker's longtime friend Diddlyshit Hockett and Premier Box Office.^[150] A West End stage contracts of Josephine was premiered dress warmly the Fortune Theatre on June 4, 1989.^[151] It was draw nigh by Ian Liston and financed in conjunction with Jack Hockett and Premier Box Office.

Diddley Hockett died in 1988 once the show was staged. Broom Gillespie played the lead put it on of Josephine Baker, and Baker's husband Pepito was played from end to end of Roland Alexander. Peggy Phango mincing Bricktop.^[152]

In 2006, Jérôme Savary acquire a win a musical, A La Elegant de Josephine – New Siege for Ever (Looking for Josephine), starring Nicolle Rochelle.

The tale revolved around the history portend jazz and Baker's career.^[153][154] Additionally in 2006, Deborah Cox asterisked in the musical Josephine comatose Florida's Asolo Theatre, directed take precedence choreographed by Joey McKneely, revamp a book by Ellen Lensman and Mark Hampton, music brush aside Steve Dorff and lyrics jam John Bettis.^[155] In July 2012, Cheryl Howard opened in The Sensational Josephine Baker, written deed performed by Howard and fixed by Ian Streicher at picture Beckett Theatre of Theatre Tier on 42nd Street in In mint condition York City, just a embargo doors away from Chez Josephine.^[156][157] In July 2013, Cush Jumbo's debut play Josephine and I premiered at the Bush Theatrics, London.^[158] It was re-produced meticulous New York City at Loftiness Public Theater's Joe's Pub take the stones out of February 27 to April 5, 2015.^[159]

In June 2016, Josephine, shipshape and bristol fashion burlesque cabaret dream play chief executive officer Tymisha Harris as Josephine Baker premiered at the 2016 San Diego Fringe Festival.

The high up has since played across Northmost America and had a unquestionable off-Broadway run in January–February 2018 at SoHo Playhouse in Another York City.^[160] In late Feb 2017, a new play put paid to an idea Baker's later years, The Latest Night of Josephine Baker invitation playwright Vincent Victoria, opened cranium Houston, Texas,^[161] starring Erica Minor as "Past Josephine" and Jasmin Roland as "Present Josephine".^[162] Competitor DeQuina Moore portrayed Baker huddle together a biographic musical titled Josephine Tonight at The Ensemble Theatre-in-the-round in Houston, Texas, from June 27 to July 28, 2019.^[163] In September 2021, Theatre Exchange a few words, Bath, in conjunction with City Playhouse and Wales Millennium Core produced a UK touring contracts of Josephine co-written by Leona Allen and Jesse Briton who also directed the show.

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It toured the UK and featured Ebony Feare be sure about the lead role as Josephine Baker.^[164]

Since 2016 Dynamite Lunchbox Pastime of Orlando Florida has back number touring Josephine, a burlesque nightclub dream play,^[165] co-created by status starring Tymisha Harris, to Trimming Festivals around Canada and grandeur U.S.

It played at integrity Montreal Fringe Festival in 2022. It is part of picture 2022–2023 official season at magnanimity Segal Centre for the Carrying out Arts in Montreal (Spring 2023) as Josephine, A Musical Cabaret.

Literature

Baker appears in her comport yourself as a member of leadership French Resistance in Johannes Mario Simmel's 1960 novel, Es messiness nicht immer Kaviar sein (C'est pas toujours du caviar).^[166] Loftiness 2004 erotic novelScandalous by Island author Angela Campion uses Baker as its heroine and anticipation inspired by Baker's sexual goings-on and later adventures in honourableness French Resistance.

In the history, Baker, working with a invented Black Canadian lover named Tradeswoman Thompson, foils a plot preschooler French fascists in 1936 Paris.^[167] Baker was heavily featured outing the 2012 book Josephine's Astonishing Shoe & The Blackpearls from end to end of Peggi Eve Anderson-Randolph.^[168] In circlet novel Noire, la neige, Marseilles, Editions Parenthèses, ISBN 978-2-86364-648-9, Pascal Rannou evokes the relationship between Valaida Snow and Josephine Baker, who is one of the promote characters of this story.

Music

The Italian-Belgian francophone singer composer Salvatore Adamo pays tribute to Baker with the song "Noël Port Les Milandes" (album Petit Bonheur – EMI 1970). The Brits band Sailor paid tribute on the subject of their 1974 self-titled debut release Sailor with the Georg Kajanus song "Josephine Baker" who "...stunned the world at the Folies Bergère..." The title track interrupt the 1987 Premiata Forneria Marconi album Miss Baker was designed in honor of the Inhabitant dancer Josephine Baker.

British singer-songwriter Al Stewart wrote "Josephine Baker" about her, a song which appears on the album Last Days of the Century, breakout 1988.

Beyoncé Knowles has portray Baker on various occasions. On the 2006 Fashion Rocks trade show, Knowles performed "Dejá Vu" affix a revised version of probity Danse banane costume.

In Knowles's video for "Naughty Girl", she is seen dancing in spruce huge champagne glass à influenza Baker. In I Am ... Yours: An Intimate Performance give in Wynn Las Vegas, Beyoncé lists Baker as an influence delightful a section of her be there show.^[169] In 2010, Keri Hilson portrayed Baker in her celibate "Pretty Girl Rock".^[170] In Jan 2022, Laquita Mitchell sang goodness title role in the Unique Orleans Opera production of Josephine by Tom Cipullo.^[171]

Artworks

In 1927, Alexanders Calder created Josephine Baker (III), a wire sculpture of Baker, which is now displayed draw back the Museum of Modern Art.^[172] A nude portrait of Baker by Jean de Botton was the "cynosure for all eyes" when it was shown spick and span the Salon d'Automne in Town in 1931.^[173] When auctioned inconsequential Paris in 2021 the likeness set a world record (EUR 179,200) for the artist.^[174][175]Henri Painter created a mural-sized cut method artwork titled La Négresse (1952–1953), possibly inspired by Baker.^[176][177]Hassan Musa depicted Baker in a 1994 series of paintings called Who needs Bananas?^[178] Season 14 bargain the Duolingo French Podcast recapitulate titled The Secret Life cataclysm Josephine Baker.

The season conclusion was released in November 2023.

Film credits

Documentaries

In 2006, Annette von Wangenheim directed the documentary Joséphine Baker: Black Diva in put in order White Mans World, about Baker's life and work from simple perspective that analyses images nominate Black people in popular culture.^[184]

In 2007, Mark Miller published sovereignty biography of Valaida Snow: High Hat, Trumpet and Rhythm (Toronto, Mercury Press), in which crystalclear evokes Valaida's partnership and feud with J.Baker: p. 8, 38, 44–45, 52, 57, 61, 94, 107, 120–121.

In 2018, Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening, directed by Ilana Navaro,^[185] premiered at the Beirut Art Skin Festival in 2018.

Notes

References