Joséphine Baker: Artist and Civil Rights Icon

Joséphine Baker (1906–1975) was much more than a stage star. Born into poverty in the United States, she experienced racism and inequality from an early age. Through her talent and determination, she became a global star in Paris and later a committed figure in the fight against oppression and for equality. Her extraordinary journey makes her one of the most remarkable personalities of the 20th century.

From St. Louis to Paris: The Rise of a Star

Joséphine Baker grew up in hardship in St. Louis, Missouri. Very early, she discovered dance and singing as a way to escape. At just 19 years old, she left the United States for Paris, where audiences welcomed her with open arms.

In 1925, she triumphed in La Revue Nègre at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

She was shocked and fascinated by dancing in her famous banana skirt, a performance both provocative and tied to colonial exoticism.

She quickly became a jazz and cabaret icon, mingling with leading artists of her time, including Picasso, Cocteau, and Hemingway.

Joséphine Baker came to represent a new form of artistic freedom, embodying the modernity and cultural diversity of the Roaring Twenties.

A Brave Resistance Fighter During the War

When World War II broke out, Joséphine Baker did not remain a bystander. Living at her château in Dordogne, she became an active member of the French Resistance:

• She used her tours to transport coded messages hidden in her sheet music.

• She worked as a spy, taking advantage of her status as an international artist to travel freely.

• She provided aid and moral support to French troops.

For her bravery, she received several prestigious decorations, including the Resistance Medal, the Croix de Guerre, and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur by General de Gaulle.

A Voice for Civil Rights

After the war, Joséphine Baker resumed her artistic career, but she was deeply marked by her experiences. She dedicated herself to fighting racial injustice:

• In the 1950s, she refused to perform in U.S. venues that practiced segregation.

• She adopted 12 children from different backgrounds, calling them her “Rainbow Tribe,” to demonstrate that diverse cultures could live together in harmony.

• In 1963, she joined the March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King Jr. That day, she addressed the crowd of more than 200,000 people, becoming the only woman to speak at the rally.

An Immortal Legacy

Joséphine Baker passed away in 1975 in Paris, after a final triumphant tour. Her influence extends far beyond entertainment: she has become a symbol of freedom, courage, and human fraternity.
In 2021, she was inducted into the Panthéon in Paris, alongside great figures of French history. She became the first Black woman to be honored in this way, a recognition of her cultural and humanitarian legacy.