Josephine Baker is commonly known as the first black entertainer. Baker was the first African American female to star in a major motion picture, to integrate an American concert hall, and the first to become a world-famous entertainer. She is also known for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. and for assisting the French Resistance during the second World War. Josephine Baker was also the first American-born woman to receive the highest French military honor of the Croix de Guerre.Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3rd, 1906 in East St. Louis, Illinois. The daughter of Carrie McDonald. Baker's true ethnic background is unknown. There is still debate over the identity of Josephine's father. Her estate credits vaudeville drummer Eddie Carson as her natural father. Her mother, Carrie, was adopted in Little Rock, Arkansas by Richard and Elvira McDonald, both of whom were former slaves of both African and Native American descent. Baker dropped out of school at the age of 12, and started her career as a dancer and street performer by the age of 13. She entered vaudeville joining the St. Louis Chorus at 15. She then headed to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance, performing at the Plantation Club and in the chorus of the popular Broadway revues Shuffle Along (1921) and The Chocolate Dandies (1924).
On October 2, 1925, Baker opened in Paris at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. She became an instant success, which was attributed to her erotic dancing and lack of wardrobe on stage. After a successful tour of Europe, she reneged on her contract and returned to France to star at the Folies Bergeres. She performed the Danse sauvage, wearing (her most famous) costume consisting of a skirt made of a string of artificial bananas. Josephine Baker's success coincided with the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, which gave rise to the term Art Deco. In later shows in Paris, she was often accompanied on stage by her pet cheetah named Chiquita. The cheetah would escape into the orchestra pit and added an element of suprise to her shows.
In addition to being a musical star, Baker also starred in three films which found success only in Europe: a silent film called Siren of the Tropics (1927), Zouzou (1934) and Princesse Tam Tam(1935).In 1937, Josephine scored her greatest hit song, "J'ai deux amours" thus making her a muse for several contemporary artists. That list includes Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, and Christian Dior.
Baker was so popular with the French that even the Nazis, who occupied France during World War II, welcomed her performances. This allowed Baker to show her loyalty to her adopted country (Baker became a French citizen in 1937) by participating in the Underground. She smuggled intelligence to the resistance in Portugal through codes hidden in her sheet music.
Baker also worked with the NAACP. In 1963, she spoke at the March on Washington at the side of Martin Luther King, Junior. Baker wore her Free French uniform with Legion of Honor decoration. She was the only woman to speak at the rally.
On April 9th 1975, Baker starred in her own revue performance at the Bobino in Paris. The revue celebrated her 50 year career and was financed by Prince Rainier, Princess Grace, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The opening-night audience included Sophia Loren, Mick Jagger, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli. Three days later, on April 12th 1975, Josephine Baker passed away due to brain hemorrhaging. She was 68.
