Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, MO, in 1906 to Carrie McDonald, a laundress, and Eddie Carson, a musician. Her early life hinted at her future career. She first danced for the public on the streets of St. Louis for nickels and dimes. Later she became a chorus girl on the St. Louis stage. At age 15 she married Pullman porter William Howard Baker, but left him when she ran away from St. Louis at age 17, feeling there was too much racial discrimination in the city. She eventually made her way to Paris, France. Her first job in Paris was in "La revue negre". Her next significant job was at the Folies Bergere, where she was a member of the club's all-black revue.

It was there, in 1925, that she first performed her famous "banana dance". She quickly became a favorite of the French, and her fame grew, but she had many ups and downs during her career.

In 1928, her husband/manager 'Count' Pepito di Abatino dueled Andrew Czolovodi, a Hungarian cavalry officer, over Josephine in St. Stephen's cemetery in Budapest. The duel lasted only 10 minutes, ending when di Abatino was scratched by Czolovodi's blade.

Although popular in France, during the "Red Scare" era of the 1950s, she was falsely accused of being a Communist and informed that she was no longer welcome in the US (in 1937 she had renounced her American citizenship, utterly disgusted by the blatant and official racism against blacks, and became a French citizen).

In 1951, the Stork Club in New York City refused to serve her because she was black. This led to a confrontation with columnist Walter Winchell. Later, during the McCarthy "Red Scare" period in the early 1950s, she was falsely accused of being a Communist sympathizer, and the FBI started a file on her.

In the late 1960s she began having financial difficulties, and stopped performing in 1968. Grace Kelly, who by that time had married Prince Rainier of Monaco and was now known as Princess Grace of Monaco, offered her a home in Monaco when she learned of Josephine's financial problems.

In 1961 Josephine was awarded the Legion of Honor, France's highest award.

At the request of Princess Grace, Josephine performed at Monaco's summer ball in 1974 and was a great success. That same year she staged a week of performances in New York City and called the show "An Evening with Josephine Baker".

In a "Wayne's World" skit on Saturday Night Live (1975), she was ranked #8 in Wayne's Top 10 Babes of All Time.

Inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame on May 20, 1990 and the Hall of Famous Missourians on March 29, 1995.

The Dutchman Henk van der Meyden composed and wrote a musical about her life called "Josephine", which had its premiere in 1991 at Luxor Theater, Rotterdam. Cheryl Howard played the role of Josephine. The musical contained five of her original, as well as new material.

In 1995, had a song written about her by the band Fossil titled "Josephine Baker".

In 2003, another musical went on stage, in Belgium, called "Simenon et Josephine". It was a musical comedy related to the Maigret year of 2003 in Belgium.

Pictured in a poster for the film Princesse Tam-Tam (1935) on a 42¢ USA commemorative postage stamp celebrating Vintage Black Cinema, issued 16 July 2008.