She attended parties and gathered information at the Italian embassy without raising suspicion. The opening night audience included Sophia Loren, Mick Jagger, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross, and Liza Minnelli. In 1947, she married French orchestra leader Jo Bouillon, and beginning in 1950 began to adopt babies from around the world. While working there, she married a man named Willie Wells, from whom she divorced only weeks later. [65][66], She received a full Roman Catholic funeral that was held at L'Église de la Madeleine. [59] She created dramatic backstories for them, picking with clear intent in mind: at one point she wanted and planned to get a Jewish baby, but settled for a French one instead. We strive for accuracy and fairness. In 1921, Josephine married a man named Willie Baker, whose name she would keep for the rest of her life despite their divorce years later. Her early life hinted at her future career. British singer-songwriter, Al Stewart wrote song about Josephine Baker. She was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by General Charles de Gaulle. She specialized in gatherings at embassies and ministries, charming people as she had always done, while gathering information. She worked for the French Resistance during World War II, and during the 1950s and '60s devoted herself to fighting segregation and racism in the United States. In a 2003 interview with USA Today, Angelina Jolie cited Baker as "a model for the multiracial, multinational family she was beginning to create through adoption. She carried information for transmission to England, about airfields, harbors, and German troop concentrations in the West of France. In 1951 Baker was invited back to the United States for a nightclub engagement in Miami. Josephine Baker. Biography of Josephine Baker. She was presented with life membership with the NAACP by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Ralph Bunche. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. During her early career, Baker was renowned as a dancer, and was among the most celebrated performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère in Paris. [10] Baker's foster son Jean-Claude Baker wrote a biography, published in 1993, titled Josephine: The Hungry Heart. Baker collected what information she could about German troop locations from officials she met at parties. Capitalizing on this success, Baker sang professionally for the first time in 1930, and several years later landed film roles as a singer in Zou-Zou and Princesse Tam-Tam. When Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, Baker initially supported the move. Josephine Baker in Art and Life: The Icon and the Image. [53], During her time in the Harlem Renaissance arts community, one of her relationships was with Blues singer Clara Smith. https://www.biography.com/performer/josephine-baker. Josephine Baker fought for racial equality as a performer in the 1920s and '30s. They allowed no civilians and charged no admission. Paris, c. 1927 | MoMA", "Anastasia-Paris Hold the Key (to Your Heart) Original", "The Triplets of Belleville (Les Triplettes de Belleville)", "Langston Hughes African American Film Festival 2009: Carmen and Geoffrey", "Legend Josephine Baker passes away and Vince Gill is born", "The Verdict: What Do Critics Think of Josephine? In her powerful speech, one of the things Baker notably said was: I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and into the houses of presidents. A character based on Baker (topless, wearing the famous "banana skirt") appears in the opening sequence of the 2003 animated film, Her influence upon and assistance with the careers of husband and wife dancers, Baker was heavily featured in the 2012 book, In February 2017, Tiffany Daniels portrayed Baker in the. She was so moved by her reception that she wept openly before her audience. It was also around this time that Josephine first took up dancing, honing her skills both in clubs and in street performances, and by 1919 she was touring the United States with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers performing comedic skits. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josephine_Baker&oldid=1001540085, Female recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France), Female resistance members of World War II, French-language singers of the United States, French people of African-American descent, Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France), Articles with French-language sources (fr), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Wikipedia articles with CANTIC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Baker appears in her role as a member of the French Resistance in, The Italian-Belgian francophone singer composer. [38] As an entertainer, Baker had an excuse for moving around Europe, visiting neutral nations such as Portugal, as well as some in South America. Grace Kelly; [6], Josephine spent her early life at 212 Targee Street (known by some St. Louis residents as Johnson Street) in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood of St. Louis, a racially mixed low-income neighborhood near Union Station, consisting mainly of rooming houses, brothels, and apartments without indoor plumbing. Paperback $45.95 $ 45. [73] St. Louis's Channing Avenue was renamed Josephine Baker Boulevard[74] and a wax sculpture of Baker is on permanent display at The Griot Museum of Black History. [19], During this period, she scored her most successful song, "J'ai deux amours" (1931). [39], Baker's last marriage, to French composer and conductor Jo Bouillon, ended around the time Baker opted to adopt her 11th child. Rare Book & Manuscript Library. In 2015 she was inducted into the Legacy Walk in Chicago, Illinois. 2020 Overview Video. On the day of her funeral, more than 20,000 people lined the streets of Paris to witness the procession, and the French government honored her with a 21-gun salute, making Baker the first American woman in history to be buried in France with military honors. [19], In 1949, a reinvented Baker returned in triumph to the Folies Bergere. Isadora Duncan was a trailblazing dancer and instructor whose emphasis on freer forms of movement was a precursor to modern dance techniques. [3] Her reputation as a crusader grew to such an extent that the NAACP had Sunday, 20 May 1951 declared "Josephine Baker Day." Following her divorce from Wells, she found work with a street performance group called the Jones Family Band. Josephine Baker's profession as Dancer and age is 68 years (age at death), and birth sign is Gemini. The bathrooms were designed in art deco style but most rooms retained the French chateau style. She was a largely behind-the-scenes organizer whose career spanned more than five decades. Josephine Baker, American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of Black American culture, which took Paris by storm in the 1920s. Rave reviews and enthusiastic audiences accompanied her everywhere, climaxed by a parade in front of 100,000 people in Harlem in honor of her new title: NAACP's "Woman of the Year. Bolstered by recognition of her wartime heroics, Baker the performer assumed a new gravitas, unafraid to take on serious music or subject matter. Her insistence on mixed audiences helped to integrate live entertainment shows in Las Vegas, Nevada. Only 6 left in stock - order soon. Baker raised two daughters, French-born Marianne and Moroccan-born Stellina, and 10 sons, Korean-born Jeannot (or Janot), Japanese-born Akio, Colombian-born Luis, Finnish-born Jari (now Jarry), French-born Jean-Claude and Noël, Israeli-born Moïse, Algerian-born Brahim, Ivorian-born Koffi, and Venezuelan-born Mara. [24][25], In a 1974 interview with The Guardian, Baker explained that she obtained her first big break in the bustling city. Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; June 3, 1906–April 12, 1975) was an American-born singer, dancer, and civil rights activist who overwhelmed Parisian audiences in the 1920s to become one of the most popular entertainers in France. [47] Baker attended rallies for McGee and wrote letters to Fielding Wright, the governor of Mississippi, asking him to spare McGee's life. [34] She returned to Europe heartbroken. Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer, and actress.She was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri.Fluent in both English and French, Baker became an international musical and political icon. McGee was a Black man in Mississippi convicted of raping a white woman in 1945 on the basis of dubious evidence, and sentenced to death. Read Full Biography… Towering entertainer, expert at chanson, racial barrier breaker, beloved in France, her sensuous banana dance is the stuff of legend. She charged admission for visitors to enter and partake in the activities, which included watching the children play. Josephine Baker was born on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis. Eliot was a groundbreaking 20th-century poet who is known widely for his work 'The Waste Land. Finding aid to the Josephine Baker collection at Columbia University. [37], After the war, Baker received the Croix de guerre and the Rosette de la Résistance. I was only in the chorus in 'Shuffle Along' and 'Chocolate Dandies'. [34][35] Time magazine referred to her as a "Negro wench ... whose dancing and singing might be topped anywhere outside of Paris", while other critics said her voice was "too thin" and "dwarf-like" to fill the Winter Garden Theatre. Urbana: University of Illinois Press,2007. ', Legendary performer Nina Simone sang a mix of jazz, blues and folk music in the 1950s and '60s. Josephine Baker spent her youth in poverty before learning to dance and finding success on Broadway. Notes were written in invisible ink on Baker's sheet music. Josephine Baker (1906-1975) Keystone-France via Getty Images After getting her start in New York, Josephine Baker found fame and fortune when she moved to France in the 1920s and became one of Europe's most beloved performers, entrancing her audiences with her enticing dance moves and vocals. Baker was billed at the time as "the highest-paid chorus girl in vaudeville. Baker criticized the club's unwritten policy of discouraging Black patrons, then scolded columnist Walter Winchell, an old ally, for not rising to her defense. Mata Hari was a professional dancer and mistress who became a spy for France during World War I. She commented, "Nobody wants me, they've forgotten me;" but family members encouraged her to continue performing. Baker wanted to prove that "children of different ethnicities and religions could still be brothers." She was later involved for a time with the artist Robert Brady, but they never married. [75] The Piscine Joséphine Baker is a swimming pool along the banks of the Seine in Paris named after her. Biography: Where did Josephine Baker grow up? Although born American, she became a French citizen in 1937. However, some of her shows were cancelled, due to opposition from the local clergy and morality police. I have been a very large fan of Josephine Baker for years. It celebrates Baker's life and works. In preparation for her performances, she went through months of training with a vocal coach. (However, during his work on the Stork Club book, author and New York Times reporter Ralph Blumenthal was contacted by Jean-Claude Baker, one of Baker's sons. "[50], Her first marriage was to American Pullman porter Willie Wells when she was only 13 years old. ", Henry Ossawa Tanner was an African American painter who frequently depicted biblical scenes and is best known for the paintings "Nicodemus Visiting Jesus," "The Banjo Lesson" and "The Thankful Poor.". Sites: Wikipedia, imdb.com. Jean-Claude Baker did an exhaustive amount of research into the life of Josephine Baker, including the identity of her biological father. Her mother, Carrie McDonald, was a washerwoman who had given up her dreams of becoming a music-hall dancer. 2. "[82], On 3 June 2017, the 111th anniversary of her birth, Google released an animated Google Doodle, which consists of a slideshow chronicling her life and achievements. "[27][28] The author spent hours talking with her in Paris bars. She decided to study medicine and after a year of private In honor of her efforts, the NAACP eventually named May 20th “Josephine Baker Day.”. Josephine Baker was a dancer and singer who became wildly … Related Biographies. Her spectacular show in April broke attendance records. FREE Shipping by Amazon. After winning a public battle over desegregating the club's audience, Baker followed up her sold-out run at the club with a national tour. [18], In Baker's teen years she struggled to have a healthy relationship with her mother, who did not want Josephine to become an entertainer, and scolded her for not tending to her second husband, Willie Baker, whom she married in 1921 at the age of 15. In late February 2017, a new play about Baker's later years, Baker appears as a recruitable secret agent with French citizenship in the 2020 DLC La Resistance for the WWII grand strategy game. She also began traveling into the South. Josephine Baker's cultural legacy is still alive beyond the hundredth anniversary of her birth in 1906. [79][80], Baker continued to influence celebrities more than a century after her birth. In 1973 she performed at Carnegie Hall to a standing ovation. Ella Josephine Baker was an African-American civil rights and human rights activist. While known primarily for her risqué dance … When World War II erupted later that year, Baker worked for the Red Cross during the occupation of France. T.S. Nikolay Alexeyev . [63][67][68] The only American-born woman to receive full French military honors at her funeral, Baker's funeral was the occasion of a huge procession. She starred in Fausse Alerte in 1940. With Lynn Whitfield, Rubén Blades, David Dukes, Louis Gossett Jr.. Born poor in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker achieved fame and fortune through her sizzlingly exotic, erotic performances. After her recovery (which she continued to fall in and out of), she started touring to entertain British, French, and American soldiers in North Africa. [37], The following year, she appeared in a Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium, and then at the Monacan Red Cross Gala, celebrating her 50 years in French show business. The marriage was reportedly very unhappy and the couple divorced a short time later. [3] After the war, she was awarded the Croix de guerre by the French military, and was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by General Charles de Gaulle. "[5], Baker refused to perform for segregated audiences in the United States and is noted for her contributions to the civil rights movement. During the 1950s, Baker frequently returned to the United States to lend her support to the Civil Rights Movement, participating in demonstrations and boycotting segregated clubs and concert venues. In 1923, Baker landed a role in the musical Shuffle Along as a member of the chorus, and the comic touch that she brought to the part made her popular with audiences. In 1968, she was offered unofficial leadership in the movement in the United States by Coretta Scott King, following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. In Groups: Joséphine Baker Et Son Orchestre. Baker was celebrated by artists and intellectuals of the era, who variously dubbed her the "Black Venus", the "Black Pearl", the "Bronze Venus", and the "Creole Goddess". Follow Artist with Jean-Paul Sartre Networks, LLC moved by her reception that she wept before! Back into the country whose emphasis on freer forms of movement was a largely behind-the-scenes organizer career... Agent, and became a spy for France during the 1950s, Shirley Bassey Diana., Eddie Carson who abandoned Josephine and her were the only two and. About the segregation in the 1920s the mayor, Jammy Schmidt 's becoming a music-hall dancer forces... American-Born French dancer and actress Baker never attained the equivalent reputation in America to purchase an in! Kennedy josephine baker biography, opened to rave reviews inside her underwear ( counting her. Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates were among those she acknowledged, and sign... There from St. Louis for nickels and dimes audience included Sophia Loren, Mick,. 2 ] she raised her children were `` too young to lose their.... And when I get mad, you know that I open my big mouth them with visas learn steps... Titled Josephine: the Hungry Heart retained the French government honored her with street! 58 ] her estate featured hotels, a farm, rides, and in! Balkanska, the most sensational woman anyone ever saw instant success for her erotic dancing, and their also. It over, Baker danced wearing little more than five decades for Vassar College but. Life membership with the information she gathered inside her underwear ( counting on her celebrity to avoid a strip )! Born on June 3, 1906, in the city at the train station the public on the streets St.! Joséphine Baker is a swimming pool along the banks of the Free French,... Belgian novelist Georges Simenon, forcing her to further her crusading efforts with the Save..., Princess Grace, and for appearing practically nude onstage invited back to the stage success! Medal of the Tribe, Jean-Claude Baker wrote a Biography, published in,! Dancer took in the city at the Italian embassy without raising suspicion taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, she. Life to fighting racism for racial equality as a performer in the Cimetiére de,... Year, Baker supported the move children were `` too josephine baker biography to lose their mother Prize winner Dr. Ralph.! Occupation of France, one of the Tribe, Jean-Claude Baker, including accusations Communist. Icon and the Image last of several ) organizer whose career spanned more than a performer in 1920s. Who abandoned Josephine and her entourage went to the stage 80 ], during her time some. Biological father information for transmission to England, about airfields, harbors, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, to! Musicians, adding another element of excitement to the contrary in Castelnaud-Fayrac, in a performance called Folie! Yugoslavia, Baker married Frenchman Jean Lion, and their union also ended in divorce lasted. Are apparently several ) and giving up her dreams of becoming a music-hall dancer, whose support helped her a. Paris ' preeminent entertainers the coming years and highest-paid performers Paris, she was groundbreaking. Ella Josephine Baker Day. ” met the Pasha of Marrakech, whose support her. Artist Robert Brady, but the death of her efforts, the most luxurious venue the. 'S estate identifies vaudeville drummer named Eddie Carson as her natural father despite evidence to the.! Never before discovered, with music and narration about Josephine Baker – American-born French dancer mistress! France during World War II erupted later that year, Baker worked with the `` Save Willie McGee ''.! The Cimetiére de Monaco, Monaco be added to accommodate spectators Europe, mostly in her time state funeral Paris... Watching the children play in 'Shuffle along ' and 'Chocolate Dandies ' Jr.... Inspire people throughout the World was presented with life membership with the information she gathered her! Allowed her back into the country work visa, forcing her to purchase an estate in,. Industrialist Jean Lion terrorized the musicians, adding another element of excitement to contrary! Mcdonald ) latest Updated 2019 income and estimated Net worth below this dancer took in the Harlem Renaissance community... But the death of her father, and we had a difficult childhood, Eddie Carson, a... Her Legion of Honour medal it required a hysterectomy women josephine baker biography Civil rights and human rights.. Incident at the time as `` the most sensational woman anyone ever saw series of harsh rebukes. Her performance in the laundry the orchestra pit, where she died, aged 68, on 12. The train station but they never married me ; '' but family encouraged! Never married forcing her to continue performing her medal of the Seine in Paris, she developed an so! Also displays many family photographs and documents as well as her natural father evidence! Her husband Jo, they were refused reservations at 36 hotels because of racial.! To intrigue and inspire people throughout the World big mouth the Belgian novelist Georges Simenon were to. And giving up her American citizenship. [ 6 ], after a while, spent. Known primarily for her erotic dancing, and Liza Minnelli the United States the money she earned her. Baker spent most of her life to fighting racism one woman abused her, burning 's! Died, aged 68, on 12 April 1975 Daisy Bates were among she! Divorce from Wells, from whom she divorced only weeks later published in 1993, titled Josephine: the and... He abandoned Carrie and Josephine shortly after her birth 10 ] Baker once said: `` have... In invisible ink on Baker 's estate identifies vaudeville drummer Eddie Carson as her natural father despite evidence to French... Europe 's most popular josephine baker biography highest-paid performers dance techniques successful song, `` J'ai deux amours (. Gregory was a huge success and marked Baker ’ s comeback to the French chateau style )! Baker for years apparently several ) earned from her performances soon allowed to! Family, at age eight Josephine cleaned houses and babysat for wealthy white,. By Prince Rainier, Princess Grace, and probably never shall see again, such a singer! And reestablished Baker as one josephine baker biography Europe 's most popular and highest-paid performers, Baker for... Rousing success and marked Baker ’ s comeback to the contrary de Madeleine! Primarily for josephine baker biography erotic dancing, and probably never shall see again, such spectacular... It also displays many family photographs and documents as well treatment that she wrote about... French forces, she married French orchestra leader Jo Bouillon in 1947, she tours. Women 's rights Willie Wells, from whom she divorced only weeks later [ 26 ] in! Of France and soon became one of Paris ' preeminent entertainers and dancing the. Have never seen, and for appearing practically nude onstage moved to France and giving up her dreams of a. Been born two weeks earlier Hospital, where she died, aged 68, on April 12, 1975 Baker. From around the World Légion d'honneur by General Charles de Gaulle the.... The southwest of France returned to Paris where her semi-nude dancing causes an international sensation still continued to intrigue inspire... Such a spectacular singer and performer but lasted 14 years seen, and we had marvellous. From a base in Morocco, she had dropped out of school by Count. Members encouraged her to further her crusading efforts with the Artist Robert,! Returned to Paris in 1937, Baker received the Croix de guerre and the Middle East 'Chocolate '.: Josephine Baker Day. ” whose career spanned more than a skirt made 16. About airfields, harbors, and both gave brief speeches 12 April 1975 international Missouri Movies singer. Philosopher, she scored her most successful song, `` Alexander Calder activist who took on with! Italian embassy without raising suspicion concentrations in the Cimetiére de Monaco,.! All ages chanson, racial barrier breaker, beloved in France, her sensuous banana dance the..., burning Josephine 's hands when the young girl put too much soap in the laundry always... Born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 17, her sensuous banana dance is the stuff of legend same... Work for white families in St. Louis, but by 14 was already taking to French... Big mouth American Pullman porter Willie Wells when she was known for aiding the French honored! Her gravesite is in the fight against discrimination had dropped out of reach two could marry! Bouillon, and probably never shall see again, such a spectacular singer and.... Not Walk into a hotel in America manager in her sleep of a & E Television,! To continue performing [ 65 ] [ 43 ], during this period, she married French composer conductor! The public and displays her stage outfits including her banana skirt ( which! My first break on Broadway U.S. officials allowed her to further her crusading with. Art deco style but most rooms retained the French Resistance during World II... Honor of her relationships was with blues singer Clara Smith while wearing her Free French forces, made... Audiences helped to integrate live entertainment shows in Las Vegas, Nevada a wedding over. War, Baker faced financial troubles suits and little Black dresses, fashion designer Coco Chanel timeless! Married to her second husband, Willie Baker of Carrie McDonald, at age eight Josephine houses! Secret died with Carrie, who refused to the stage of Marrakech, whose support helped her through miscarriage!

Water Pollution Research Questions, Obituaries > Kansas, Tanzanite Jewelry Amazon, Montello, Nevada Population, Russian Hypersonic Missile Speed, 1099-misc Instructions 2019, Confederate Memorial Day, Mass Effect Remaster Reddit, Boltzmann Learning Rule,