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Interesting facts about Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was a superstar in the 1920s. An American that made France her home, she was also the first black woman to achieve international fame. She went by various nicknames, which included the “Black Pearl” and the “Bronze Venus.”
Ms. Baker was practically worshipped by her fans, and rightfully so! She was independent, a flapper, a symbol of the Jazz Age, a civil rights activist and a spy during World War II.
Josephine Baker lived a very interesting life, and there’s a lot of interesting facts to learn about her! Keep reading for my top 5 favorite facts about Josephine Baker.
1. France was Josephine Baker’s second home
Josephine Baker dancing the Charleston at the Folies-Bergère, Paris in 1926 by Walery – WikiCommons
Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1903 in St. Louis, Missouri. There’s actually quite a bit of mystery surrounding her birth and the identity of her father. Officially, her father was a drummer named Eddie Carson. But, Baker’s mother gave birth in an almost exclusively white hospital in St. Louis. She was also allowed to stay in the hospital for several days after the birth.
In the early 20th century, the United States was extremely segregated, and St. Louis was no exception. If Baker’s mother gained entry into the hospital and was allowed to stay for so long after giving birth, it was likely because a white man (assumedly Baker’s real father) was able to pull some strings. This theory was never proved, but it makes a lot of sense!
The segregation in the United States is what led Baker to France. She had already moved from St. Louis to Harlem, New York, where she found greater acceptance, but it was hard to work as a black entertainer in the early 20th century.
In 1925, she moved to Paris and began working. She was a hit, and was instantly loved by the Parisian public!
2. Josephine Baker is most famous for her “banana dance”
Josephine Baker, posing in her famous banana costume in Paris in 1927 by Reannon Muth – Flickr
When Baker arrived in Paris and began working as a dancer, she was well-loved by the public. Her signature dance was dubbed the “banana dance!” This was thanks to the risqué outfit Baker wore when dancing. Well, by outfit, I mean a bra and a skirt made from plastic bananas that didn’t leave much to the imagination!
Her shows were definitely on the erotic side, which helped to attract fans. Baker wasn’t afraid to be bold. While there was definitely some racism in Paris in the 1920s, it was the lesser of two evils in comparison to the United States. Baker was not only accepted in Paris, she was adored!
Over the course of her career, she starred in shows at the famous Folies Bergère, a cabaret in Paris. Her “banana dance” was officially called the “danse sauvage,” which translates as the wild dance.
Baker’s banana dance also coincided with the emergence of the Art Deco art movement. The movement showcased African art in addition to other non-Western types of art. Baker was definitely in the right place at the right time, as her dancing fit the bill for those interested in Art Deco.
3. Josephine Baker was a spy
Josephine Baker was so much more than a performer. She was also a spy for the Allied forces during World War II! She was the first ever American woman awarded the Croix de Guerre (a French military award for heroism), and she was also awarded the Medal of Resistance in 1946.
When Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, Baker initially supported the move. This gave the Axis powers the misconception that Baker was on their side. She took advantage of this and began working with the Allies.
She often traveled on tour, and she began to smuggle documents with her. She always had sheet music with her, making the perfect place for the military to write secret messages in invisible ink. Thanks to her fame, immigration officials were too busy admiring the superstar to really go through her things!
Reportedly, Baker also smuggled some secret photographs of German military equipment in her underwear!
4. Josephine Baker was a civil rights activist
Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream,” speech during the Aug. 28, 1963, march on Washington, D.C. – WikiCommons
Baker knew first hand how demeaning racial segregation and racism were. In fact, the major reason why she left America in the first place was to escape this discrimination! So, it should come as no surprise that Josephine Baker was a civil rights activist.
After returning to America in the 1950s, Baker fought for civil rights in many different ways. She refused to perform in front of segregated audiences, wrote articles bashing the continued racism in the States and gave speeches on the problem of racism.
Baker was adored in France and was practically never discriminated against. But, when she arrived in New York City in the 1950s, she and her husband were met with racism head-on. They were refused accommodation, were barred from certain restaurants and diners and she began to receive threatening phone calls from the Ku Klux Klan.
Baker also began working with the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). The association recognized her efforts by naming May 20, 1951 “Josephine Baker Day.” She was also given membership for life, and in 1963 she stood beside Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington.
When Baker was refused service at the Stork’s Club in Manhattan, she made charges of racism against the club. The famous actress Grace Kelly was in the club at the time, and she stood up for Baker. She refused to return to the club thereafter. This was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship between the pair, but more on that later!
5. Josephine Baker was married 4 times
I was a little shocked when I learned about Josephine Baker’s marriage track record, but it’s important to put the time period into perspective. It wasn’t rare that people began marrying at very young ages in the early 20th century, as it could mean financial security, among other things.
Baker was married for the first time when she was 13 years old to a man named Willie Wells, but it was reportedly an unhappy marriage. The pair split up just a few years later, and Baker was then married for a second time at age 15 to Willie Baker. This marriage didn’t last either, but the last name stuck, as Josephine Baker never changed her name even after her divorce.
In 1937, Baker married Frenchman Jean Lion, and it was through this marriage that she obtained French citizenship. This relationship didn’t last for long either, ending in divorce in 1940. Although the relationship had ended, Baker was able to maintain her French citizenship.
Baker’s longest marriage was to a French composer named Jo Bouillon. They were married in 1947 and divorced in 1961 and as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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