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makayla-angelic · 7 years

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Happy Black History month!

This lovely lady is Josephine Baker. She was born Freda Josephine Mcdonald on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis Missouri. Her mother, Carrie Mcdonald was a washerwoman who loved to dance and the identity of her father is said to be unknown, although some people claim it was one of Carrie's boyfriends, Eddie Carson, but Josephine knew better. Josephine's grandmother, Elvira, was a slave when she was a little girl, and told stories of that life to Josephine when she was little. One year after Josephine was born, Carrie gave birth to Josephine's brother, Richard, but the man Carrie was with she did not marry, and Carrie did not change her errant ways. It was said that while growing up, Josephine felt that her mother hated her, because of her lighter skin and the look alike's of her father. Her brother, who was much darker, seemed to be the welcome one. Eight months after Richard was born, Carrie finally settled down and married a tall, burly man named Arthur Martin. They had two children together, Margaret on December 23, and Willie Mae on July 18, 1910. The family struggled to survive on Gatriot street, and all of the children slept on a bed-bug ridden mattress with their parents. Sometimes Josephine and her brother Richard would wake up at five in the morning and go down and pick up fallen fruits and vegetables and make money off of it. They would even climb on top of trains and throw bits of coal down, or knock on the doors of rich white people's houses to do household chores.

When Josephine turned seven, her mother sent her to work as a live in maid to a woman named Mrs. Kaiser. But Mrs. Kaiser was mean and cruel to Josephine, and one day burned Josephine's hands in boiling hot water after Josephine left it boiling too long on the stove. Even while growing up in these poor, hard times, Josephine still found fun dancing at Booker T. Theater and playing in the streets and dancing to music. She played hookey from school and stayed out late at night. When she was eleven she witnessed something she would never forget for the rest of her life. The race riots of St. Louis in 1917, caused fear, hurt, and death among people. Buildings were burned down, people were shot and killed, and Josephine saw it all happen with her own two eyes. Then, on December 22, 1919, when Josephine was only 13 years old, she got married to Willie Wells. But the marriage only lasted for a few months, and ended when the couple got into an argument and Josephine smashed Willie over the head with a beer bottle. Once the marriage was over, Josephine went out looking for work, and she continued dancing. Then in 1921, when she was 15, she got married for a second time, to a man named Willie Baker. Josephine took the last name Baker, and kept it for the rest of her life, even long after the marriage was over. A couple months after they married, Josephine found herself with a role in the famous black Broadway performance called "Shuffle Along" by Eubie Blake. She got her own comedy dance act, and made the audience laugh. The other girls were jealous of Josephine, claimed she was stealing the show, and looked down at her because she had darker skin than they were. A few years passed, after Shuffle Along, came the Dixie Steppers, and then The Chocolate Dandies.

In 1925, when she was 19, her life changed forever. A woman by the name of Caroline Reagan from France came to St. Louis looking for people to star in her all black revue called La Revue Negre. She liked Josephine and decided to choose her for the lead role. But Josephine was nervous about leaving the country, and decided against it. But after some reassuring, and the raising of her salary, Josephine caved in and decided to go. It would be a new and exciting experience. On September 22, 1925, Josephine, along with the other chosen cast of La Revue Negre arrived in Paris, France. There, they began to enjoy the life of being free and not worrying about segregation, for in France, everyone was equal, there was no such thing as segregation. Then they began to rehearse for the show. The revue was alright, but something was missing. They needed something erotic, something to appeal to a French audience, and one of the producers suggested that Josephine perform naked except for a few feathers around her waist. Josephine, shocked and appalled by the idea, said no and ran away crying. But as time passed, she got used to the idea. Did she really want to go back to America doing five shows a night every week, sleeping in small cramped, segregated hotels, and going back to the life of being a washerwoman? So Josephine pulled herself together and decided to go along with it. On October 2, 1925, La Revue Negre opened at 9PM. The La Danse de Sauvage was the highlight of the show, in which Josephine was carried out on the back of Joe Alex, both were half-naked except for a few feathers around the waist. When the erotic, sensual, dance was over, Josephine left the stage with a mixture of cheering and boo's surrounding her. For days after the performance, Josephine would not stop being the talk of the town! Her name and picture appeared in newspapers, and secret admirers brought her expensive clothes, jewelry, and even animals. She even bought a tiger named Chiquita, even though he was male, and he wore a diamond studded collar. For many months Josephine lived the life of a star, and basked in the glory of her fame and richness. She began to learn how to speak French. In 1926, she performed in the Folies Bergere. This time, she wore nothing but a simple skirt of fake banana's around her waist. This new and exotic banana dance boosted Josephine's popularity, and made her success spread worldwide. Josephine met an Italian count named Count Pepito Abatino, and helped Josephine become a "proper lady" so to say, and how to dance ballet, and to control and perfect her singing voice, and her French speaking.

Between 1926-1928, Josephine performed, sang, and trained. She signed a movie contract, and stared in her first movie, La Sirene Des Tropiques. Then she married Pepito and became a countess. In 1928, Josephine and Pepito left France to go on a tour to other countries. There, it was mixed reviews. Berlin, Germany, Romania, Moscow and so on. Riots broke out over Josephine, some called her the "black devil" and in Vienna she was declared a witch. After having a tour full of mixed reviews, Josephine and Pepito returned to France, where Josephine spent the next couple of years trying to transform her career. In 1935, she returned to America to star in the Zigfield Follies in New York. She was greeted by her family and friends, both black and white. But back in America, Josephine saw how badly things had gotten in America, segregation, and racial tension was worse than ever. For starters, the hotel Josephine and Pepito checked in, Josephine was not allowed to enter through the lobby, because it was segregated and people might get upset that their were blacks staying there. Josephine and Pepito could not eat together in the dining room, but Pepito by himself could use it. When Josephine performed the show on January 30th, it was a heartbreaking blow for her. People got up and walked out during the performance, reporters called her a "Negro bed wench" and saying "How did a washer woman's daughter become like this?" And even another performer saying "Her dancing is the pain of an artist, and her voice is just a squeak in the dark" Josephine took her anger out on Pepito, blaming him on all that happened, and the couple split up, Pepito going back to Paris, where he died of cancer. Josephine returned to Paris on in May of 1936, where she bought a mansion, and continued on her career as normal. In 1937, Josephine met Jean Lion, and in November, they married. But the marriage only lasted 14 months, and they split due to complications of the hectic life of Josephine's career. In 1939, when WW2 began, Josephine went to war, where she became a Harlem of the Resistance, a spy and helped carry information over to find out what the German's were planning. She fell ill with an infection in Saudi Arabia, and she was forced to have an emergency removal of her reproductive organs. There went her chances of ever having children. She spent the next year and a half recovering in the hospital, and having surgery to remove excess scar tissue. She returned to Paris after her recovery and continued her career. She received a medal of honor.

in 1947, she married a band leader named Jo Boullion and they bought a chateau in southern France. They continued their career, travelling across America and breaking the color bar down south. Physically and mentally, things seemed ok, but financially, it was hard. in the 1950's, Josephine began to adopt children of all races, 14 in total. She called them her "Rainbow Tribe" Josephine was determined to prove to the world that all races were equal. Years passed, and Josephine's career collapsed, Jo gave up his band to help Josephine take care of the children. But all of it became too much, and in 1957, they split up. Josephine was on her own with the children and Les Milandes, and she was struggling to keep that as well. Eventually, Josephine sent her children away to stay with her family that moved to France, so Josephine could stay behind and help clean up damage after she lost the house. In 1968, Josephine lost Les Milandes, and Princess Grace came to the rescue and gave Josephine and her children a mansion to stay in. Throughout the rest of the 1960's and early 1970's Josephine lived a quiet life, doing little shows here and there. She wasn't as famous as she was anymore, and she was getting old. In 1974, she decided to come together with producers and make a play production of her life. It was a plan to make three million dollars. The production was a huge success, and for a while, it was the 1920's Josephine Baker all over again.

On April 12, 1975, Josephine Baker died at the age of 68. She had suffered a brain hemmorage. Her casket was open for all to see. She received full French military honors and her funeral was the occasion on a huge procession. Josephine was a woman who broke barriers, saved lives, and entertained. She had a heart full of gold, as well on her body. She paved a way for those who desire to reach the stars, black, white, Hispanic, etc. She was Josephine Baker.

If you want to read the full explicit story on the life of Josephine Baker, I suggest you buy and read Josephine: The Hungry Heart by Jean-Claude Baker, one of her adoptive children. Really juicy and shocking information in that book, and over 400 pages of it too!

#Josephine baker #black history #black girl magic #20th century #entertainers

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