Knowra Josephine Baker Josephine Baker Josephine Baker was an American-born French entertainer and singer who became an international star in the 1920s. During World War II, she worked for the French Resistance and later campaigned for civil rights.
Fred Astaire : An American dancer, singer, and actor celebrated for musical films and partnerships with Ginger Rogers. Astaire briefly partnered with Baker in the Broadway musical The Band Wagon in 1931.
Revue Nègre : A 1925 Paris revue featuring Black American performers, including Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet. Baker’s performance in this production launched her Paris stardom.
Civil rights movement : A broad movement seeking equal legal and political rights for people subjected to racial discrimination. Baker used her platform to oppose segregation and support racial equality.
La Revue des Revues : A 1927 French silent film featuring Josephine Baker as a music-hall performer. The film carried Baker’s stage persona beyond live Paris audiences.
St. Louis : A major city in Missouri, United States, situated on the Mississippi River. Baker was born in St. Louis in 1906 and began performing there as a child.
Paul Colin : A French poster artist and illustrator known for his work in Parisian theatre and music halls. Colin’s 1925 poster helped publicize Baker and the Revue Nègre.
Folies Bergère : A Paris music hall known for elaborate revues, dance, and spectacle. Baker’s 1926 performances there established her image as a headline star.
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom : A 1963 demonstration in Washington, D.C., advocating civil and economic rights for African Americans. Baker addressed the crowd, appearing in her French military uniform.
Zouzou : A 1934 French musical film starring Josephine Baker as a laundress who becomes a music-hall performer. Its leading role made Baker one of the first Black women to star in a major French sound film.
Harlem Renaissance : A flourishing of Black literature, art, music, and intellectual life centered in Harlem during the 1920s. Baker’s early career grew from the same era of expanding Black performance and cultural expression.
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