Josephine Baker Pics

Josephine

Baker

03 June 1906

Slim

Brown - Dark

Black

St. Louis, Missouri

Gemini

12 April 1975

Paris, France

Cerebral Hemorrhage

Black

The Banana Dance

American

Female

Vocal

Cabaret, Traditional Pop

Elegant, Springlike, Sophisticated, Stylish, Sensual, Witty

Vocals

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Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) was an American-born Afro-French dancer, singer, and actress. Nicknamed the "Bronze Venus," the "Black Pearl," and even the "Créole Goddess" in anglophone nations.

Soundtrack, Actor/Actress

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McDonald

Freda Josephine McDonald

Exotic, sensual, comic and beautiful, Josephine Baker wowed Europe in the 1920s with her wild dancing and barely-there costumes. She earned the nicknames "The Black Pearl," "Black Venus" and "Creole Goddess." So admired in Europe, she was bestowed with gifts of jewelry and cars. She fielded over 1500 marriage proposals and once had a dejected suitor kill himself at her feet. For over fifty years, Josephine's high energy performances made her an International favorite, but never experienced a true acceptance due to racial barriers in the United States. She was born Freda Josephine Carson in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 3, 1906 to Carrie McDonald and Eddie Carson. Her mother, who took in laundry as a means to support herself, was abandoned by Eddie, a vaudeville drummer, shortly after Freda's birth. Her mother eventually married a man by the name of Arthur Martin and the family grew to include three more children. Growing up cleaning houses and babysitting the children of wealthy white families, Freda began to show signs at an early age of her desire to entertain when she would sing and dance on the streets of St. Louis for nickels and dimes. When she was thirteen years old, she had a brief marriage to a young man, Willie Welles, whom she met while waiting tables. She then toured with The Jones Family Band and The Dixie Steppers performing various vaudeville routines. Marrying American Willie Baker in 1921, she adopted his last name and her new stage name, Josephine. She joined the all-black Broadway musical Shuffle Along in 1922. Feeling the pressure of racial discrimination, Freda left for Paris at age 17 to perform in La Revue Nègre. It would become a turning point in her young career. Immediately, she became an overnight success with her dance number, Danse Sauvage, that she performed with Joe Alex. Clad in only a feather skirt, her uninhibited dance movements sent the crowd into a frenzy. She became on of the most photographed women in the world. Her career, thriving in integrated Paris, afforded her luxuries of fancy cars, jewelry and exotic pets. When La Revue Nègre closed, Josephine moved on to the Follies-Bergère Theater, where she performed her famous banana dance, cementing her celebrity status. In 1936 she came to the U.S. to star in the Ziegfield Follies, but American audiences were not ready yet to see a sophisticated and powerful black woman and reviewers were very cruel. She left New York heartbroken that things had not changed in more than a decade from when she left. The following year, she renounced her American citizenship and became a French citizen, marrying Frenchman Jean Lion. World War II was on the horizon and Josephine served France in several ways, as a performer for the troops, engaging in undercover work by smuggling secret messages written on her music sheets and a sub-lieutenant in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She was later awarded the Medal of the Resistance with Rosette and named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French government for hard work and dedication. It was during her time performing that she met and married French orchestra leader Jo Bouillon in 1947. During the 50's, when McCarthyism was in full-swing, Josephine was told she was no longer welcome in the U.S, despite being extremely popular in France. In a renewed effort to fight racism, she was refused service in New York's Stork Club and waged a full media battle with pro-segregation journalist Walter Winchell. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) named May 20 Josephine Baker Day in honor of her efforts. Continuing to tour in the US, she refused to place in segregated nightclubs, helping to integrate the Las Vegas nightclubs. Her longing need for motherhood prompted Josephine to begin to adopt children with her husband JO, since she was unable to have her own. Strongly believing in equality for all, no matter what nationality, religion or race, she adopted twelve children. Called "The Rainbow Tribe" they came from all over the globe: Aiko (Korea), Luis (Colombia), Janot (Japan), Jari (Finland), Jean-Claude (Canada), Moses (French), Marianne (France), Noel (France), Brahim (Arab), Mara (Venezuela), Koffi (the Ivory-Coast), Stellina (Morocco). During the late 60's, Josephine began to have financial problems and was offered a home by Princess Grace in Monaco. She retired from performing in 1968. Divorced from her fourth husband, she met American artist Robert Brady in 1973. The two shared a close personal bond by exchanging marriage vows in an empty church. No clergy were present and the two were never legally wed, but maintained this important relationship until her death. She agreed to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1974, and despite her hesitation since her last performances in the US, she was delighted to find that racial barriers had begun to break down and she recei

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Dancer and singer

Civil rights activism, Rainbow Tribe (Adopted Children)

Baptist

Eddie Carson

Carrie McDonald

Richard

Willie Mae, Margaret

Aiko( (Adopted Korean son), Luis (Colombia) (Son adopted), Janot (Japan) (sSon adopted), Jari (Finland) (son adopted), Jean-Claude (Canada) (Son adopted), Moses (French (Son adopted), Marianne (France) (Adopted daughter), Noel (France (Son adopted), Brahim (Arab) (Son adopted), Mara (Venezuela) (Adopted daughter), Koffi (the Ivory-Coast) (Adopted daughter), Stellina (Morocco) (Adopted daughter)

Dogs, cats, birds, leopard, fish, chimpanzee, snake, a pig, and a goat

Spaghetti