Josephine Baker: The Pinoneer Performer Who Became a Weapon of Resistance

Josephine Baker, the world’s first Black international superstar and a spy for the French Resistance, used her fame to fight fascism and racism—on and off stage. Activist, Civil Rights Activist, Dancer, Singer(1906–1975)

Born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker rose from poverty to international stardom and political power. Her journey from the streets of Missouri to the grand stages of Paris, and the frontlines of global resistance, cements her as one of the most influential and dynamic figures in Black history.

Early Life

Josephine’s early years were shaped by instability and hardship. Her mother, Carrie McDonald, was a washerwoman who had once dreamed of becoming a music-hall dancer. Her father, Eddie Carson, a vaudeville drummer, abandoned the family shortly after Josephine’s birth. By age 8, Josephine was working to help support her family, often cleaning homes for white employers who treated her harshly. At age 13, she ran away and began working as a waitress at a club. It was there that she discovered her love of dance—a passion that would ultimately change the course of her life.

The Path to Paris

Josephine began performing comedic skits with vaudeville troupes like the Dixie Steppers, and in 1923, she earned her first big break in the musical Shuffle Along. Her charisma and comedic timing made her a crowd favorite, and by 1925, she was headed to Paris to join the cast of La Revue Nègre.

Paris was mesmerized. Her performance of the Danse Sauvage, clad only in feathers, and later her infamous 16-banana skirt routine at the Folies Bergère, made her an instant icon. She became one of Europe’s most sought-after and highest-paid performers, earning nicknames like “Black Venus,” “Black Pearl,” and “Creole Goddess.”

Cultural giants like Picasso, Hemingway, and Colette praised her. She was more than an entertainer, she was an emblem of liberated Black femininity at a time when the world refused to recognize either.

Racism and Resistance

Though adored in Europe, Baker was met with racism upon her return to the U.S. in 1936 for a performance in the Ziegfeld Follies. The experience was painful. America wasn’t ready to embrace her brilliance, so she returned to France, where she became a citizen and married industrialist Jean Lion. When World War II broke out, Josephine refused to stand by.

She became a spy for the French Resistance, using her fame and international travel to gather and smuggle intelligence. She hid messages in her sheet music and even in her undergarments. For her wartime heroism, she was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour with the Rosette of the Resistance, two of France’s highest military honors.

Her Rainbow Tribe

In the postwar years, Baker purchased a château in southwestern France and named it Les Milandes. There, she created her “Rainbow Tribe,” adopting 12 children of various nationalities to prove that racial harmony was possible. People came from around the world to visit her estate and witness this living experiment in global unity.

Civil Rights and Return to the U.S.

During the 1950s and ’60s, Baker became increasingly involved in the American Civil Rights Movement, refusing to perform at segregated venues and participating in major demonstrations. In 1963, she was the only woman to speak at the March on Washington, where she stood beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In recognition of her work, the NAACP later declared May 20th “Josephine Baker Day.”

After decades of rejection in the U.S., Baker’s triumphant return came in 1973 with a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall. She wept onstage.

Curtain Call

In 1975, Baker launched a celebratory show at the Bobino Theater in Paris, marking her 50th anniversary in show business. With celebrities like Sophia Loren and Princess Grace of Monaco in attendance, the opening night was a triumph.

Just four days later, on April 12, 1975, Josephine Baker died of a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 69.

More than 20,000 people lined the streets of Paris for her funeral. The French government honored her with a 21-gun salute, making her the first American woman buried in

France with full military honors.

A Legacy That Defied Limits

Josephine Baker wasn’t just an entertainer. She was a freedom fighter, a cultural icon, a mother, and a global citizen who used her body, voice, and platform to fight fascism and racism at every turn.

From feathers and jazz to espionage and activism, her legacy remains unmatched.