Baker, Josephine (1906-1975), was an internationally famous African American entertainer. Her dancing and flamboyant stage presence made her a sensation by the late 1920’s. Baker later became known for her involvement in the French resistance against the Germans during World War II (1939-1945), and in the United States civil rights movement.
Baker was born on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her given name was Freda Josephine McDonald. She married William (Willie) Baker, an American railroad porter, in 1921 and kept his name throughout her life. Josephine Baker began her career in the early 1920’s as a chorus dancer in Black musical comedies and in Black nightclubs in New York City. In 1925, she moved to Paris, France, where she became a star. She performed in Black revues at the Folies Bergere and other Parisian music halls. Baker returned to the United States to perform on Broadway in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, a musical revue. For a time, she operated a nightclub in New York City.
Baker became a French citizen when she married Jean Lion, a French industrialist, in 1937. During World War II, she worked for the Red Cross and gathered intelligence (information) for the French resistance. For her heroic efforts, the French government awarded Baker the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) and the Rosette de la Résistance in 1945. She also was given the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor), France’s highest civilian award, in 1961. Baker was the first woman born in the United States to be awarded these three French honors.
Baker retired in 1956 to devote more time to her large family. She adopted 12 children from around the world, whom she called her “rainbow tribe.” She raised her family on her estate in France until financial difficulties forced her to sell the property. Baker then moved to Monaco. While still based in France, she became involved in the U.S. civil rights movement. Baker often returned to the stage in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. She died on April 12, 1975, and was buried in Monaco. In 2021, Baker was honored with a symbolic burial at the Pantheon in Paris, a monument to French heroes. She was the first Black woman to receive such an honor.
