josephine baker

Josephine Baker in Havana, Cuba (1950). Background information Birth name Freda Josephine McDonald Born June 3, 1906(1906-06-03)

St. Louis, Missouri, USA[1][2] Died April 12, 1975 (aged 68)

Paris, France Genre(s) Cabaret, music hall, French pop, French jazz Occupation(s) Dancer, singer, actress Instrument(s) Vocals Label(s) Columbia, Mercury, RCA Victor Website www.cmgww.com/stars/baker

Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) was an American expatriate entertainer and actress. She became a French citizen in 1937. Most noted as a singer, Baker also was a celebrated dancer in her early career. She was given the nicknames the "Bronze Venus" or the "Black Pearl", as well as the "Créole Goddess" in anglophone nations. In France, she has always been known as "La Baker".

Baker was the first African American female to star in a major motion picture, to integrate an American concert hall, and to become a world-famous entertainer. She is also noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (she was offered the leadership of the movement by Coretta Scott King in 1968 following Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, but turned it down), for assisting the French Resistance during the Second World War and being the first American-born woman to receive the highest French military honor, the Croix de Guerre, and for being an inspiration to generations of African American female entertainers and others. Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early years 1.2 Rise to fame 1.3 Civil rights activism 1.4 Personal life 1.4.1 Marriages 1.4.2 Death 2 Legacy 2.1 Portrayals 3 Filmography 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links //

Biography

Early years

Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri,[1][2] the daughter of Carrie McDonald. Baker's true ethnic background is unknown. Her father's identity is debated among historians. Nevertheless her estate credits vaudeville drummer Eddi Carson as her natural father,[3] but according to a biography written by her foster son Jean-Claude Baker: “ … (Josephine Baker's) father was identified (on the birth certificate) simply as "Edw" … I think Josephine's father was white — so did Josephine, so did her family … people in St. Louis say that (Josephine's mother) had worked for a German family (around the time she became pregnant). (Carrie) let people think Eddie Carson was the father, and Carson played along … (but) Josephine knew better.[4] ”

Her mother, Carrie, was adopted in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1886 by Richard and Elvira McDonald, both of whom were former slaves of both African and Native American descent.[4]

When Josephine was 8 she was sent to work for a white woman who abused her and burned Josephine's hands when she put too much soap in the laundry. She later went to work for another woman.

Baker dropped out of school at the