| Josephine Baker |
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Biography | ||
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Born: June 3, 1906 Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri Instrument: Vocalist Music Training: Self taught Bands and Orchestras: Vaudeville and Theatrical Performer Signature Song: Josephine Baker biography: She was the first female black entertainer to garner attention in both the US and Europe. Born to poverty in 1926 to Freda McDonald in St. Louis, Mo. she grew up babysitting for white families and waiting tables to earn a living. She dropped out of school early and was working on Broadway by the time she was 13. She had trouble landing dance parts due to her skin color so she worked as a wardrobe assistant on the production of Shuffle Along. She learned all the parts so whenever an understudy was needed she was ready. She made her mark spoofing the very dance routines she appeared in. The producers hated her, but the audience adored her and she became a star performing in Chocolate Dandies. In 1927 she moved to Paris where she appeared in La Revue Negre. Clad in only a feather skirt and bananas she garnered attention throughout the continent becomeing the most photographed woman in th eworld by 1927. Her financial success enabled her to by a castle in France where she kept an menagerie of animals. In the 1930s she starred in 2 movies Zou-Zou and Princess Tam-Tam. In 1936 she returned home to her native America where the conservative masses refused to accept a black woman as a star. During WWII she entertained the troops for the Red Cross as a sub-lieutenant in the Women's Auxilary Air Force. She received honors for her work for the French resistance. During the 50s she worked with columnist Walter Winchell to fight racism. During this time she adopted a number of children who would eventually become homeless when she was forced to sell her castle in the 60s which were not kind to her. In the 70s she was hospitalized and it was at this time that Princess Grace of Monaco helped her make one of the remarkable comebacks enabling Josephine to hit the high point of her career. In 1975 she appeared in New York's Carnegie Hall where a more enlightened population embraced her. She passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage 3 days later. Died: April 12, 1975
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