Josephine Baker, Headress. 1930-1940. Flickr. Accessed February 21, 2025.
Freda Josephine McDonald was born in St.Louis, Missouri on June 3, 1906. She was born into a poor family of one brother and two sisters, but Josephine Baker was a self-made, independent woman. Throughout her 50-year career, her status as a superstar never burned out. After her passing, 20,000 people crowded the streets of Paris to watch the funeral processions to the Church of Madeleine and the French Government honored her with a 21-gun salute. She was a widely beloved figure and her contributions to history still stand today.
In the 1920s, Josephine Baker longed to become a chorus girl for The Dixie Steppers in Sissle and Blake's production Shuffle Along. Despite being called "too skinny and too dark," she learned the chorus routines while working as a dresser and became a replacement dancer. There onstage, she won over the audience which marked the beginning of her successful career. In 1925, she sailed to Paris to perform in the musical La Revue Nègre and became an overnight sensation. She brought comedy and eroticism to dancing, which was unseen before. Josephine then led to star in La Folie du Jour at the Follies-Bergère Theater. Here, she performed her most iconic performance, Danse Banane, where she danced in a skirt consisting of 16 bananas. She was one of the most photographed women in the world and earned more than any other entertainer in Europe. Her unique style and confidence made her the muse of Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway, who described her as "the most sensational woman anybody ever saw. Or ever will."
When she returned to the United States to star in the Ziegfeld Follies, she did not receive the same celebrity admiration in Europe. American audiences were appalled by the idea of a black woman having so much popularity. The United States was troubled in an era of lynchings, Jim Crow laws, and mass migration. Facing racist backlash, she returned to Europe heartbroken. "I ran away from the United States of America, because of that terror of discrimination, that horrible beast which paralyzes one's very soul and body," she said.
She returned to the United States during the Civil Rights Movement with the intent to challenge the racism that she previously experienced. She refused to perform in segregated theaters, forcing shows to integrate all races. Additionally, she was the only woman to speak at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was even asked to be the new leader of the Civil Rights Movement after Martin Luther King's passing. In 1973, Josephine performed in New York's Carnegie Hall and received a standing ovation before the concert began. It was now evident that there was growing progress in equality.
During World War II, she discreetly fought the Nazis right under their noses. She performed and sang for the troops as a morale-booster, however her contributions stretched beyond just an entertainer. She was an undercover correspondent for the French Resistance and smuggled secret messages in her music sheets and clothes. Additionally, with the benefit of being an entertainer, she was able to deliver information and passports across the continent with ease. To add on, she was also a sub-lieutenant in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Due to her hardwork and dedication in the war, she was awarded the Medal of the Resistance and named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French government.
In the 20th century, sexism and racism were still deeply ingrained in society. Women were reduced to objects for sexual commodification and black women were not seen as beautiful. However, Josephine Baker was unshameful and proud of all aspects of her existence. "The rear end exists … I see no reason to be ashamed of it," she once stated. Using her eccentric and erotic dance movement, which was radical at the time, she empowered the body of a black female. She created the idea that a black woman is desirable and powerful and encouraged others to embrace their bodies. She dismantled the objectification of women and instead created a feminist reimagining of black female body so that black women have autonomy over their own representation.
Beyond race and gender, Josephine Baker also contributed to LGTBQ+ representation. Although the term bisexual was not widely acknowledged nor popular, Josephine understood who she was attracted to and was open about her relationships with both men and women. She had a publicly known relationship with famous blues singer Clara Smith, and continued same-sex relationships as she toured Philadelphia and New York City. In Europe, she was rumored to have relations with Frida Kahlo, French author Colette, and French singer Maurice Chevalier. Josephine Baker was always one to stay true to herself, even under the harsh spotlight of the 20th century outside of the stage.
