So a burlesque dancer, a Civil Rights activist, and a French resistance fighter walks into a bar… No, that’s not the setup for a joke, and no, it’s not about three different people either. Instead, we’re talking about Josephine Baker.
Josephine Baker, born Freda Josephine Baker, was a woman of many talents. Despite being born a Black woman in Jim Crow south, and being married off by the age of thirteen, Baker managed to carve out quite the life for herself. She rose to fame as a dancer and actress, primarily performing in risqué acts in clubs across France. Some may remember her for iconic outfits such as her banana skirt (which, if you’ve never seen, you absolutely must look up- it’s iconic), and dozens of other glittering gowns and feathered ensembles. But what some people may not know is that Baker’s life entailed much more than just lust and luxury.
When WWII came knocking on Paris’ door, Baker rose to the challenge- she joined the ranks of the Deuxième Bureau, the French intelligence agency, as a spy. Since she already had a reputation as a vivacious dancer and performer, Baker was able to seduce information from German politicians and military officials. She then turned around and gave that information back to the intelligence agency, aiding the resistance. When that was no longer enough, and the Nazis had taken control of Paris, Baker moved south and opened her summer home as a safehouse for people continuing to fight against the invasion. Throughout the war, she used her reputation as an advantage. Through beauty, charm, and femininity, Baker did something truly miraculous. A black, bisexual, sex worker took on the Nazis. And she came out on top. Once France had once again reclaimed its democracy, Baker received military honors for her contributions during the war.
And she certainly didn’t stop there. Throughout her travels in the United States, Baker was a very vocal supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, even speaking alongside Rev. Martin Luther Jr. during his famous March on Washington. Having lived in both the United States and France as a Black woman, she was all too aware of how far the United States had to go in terms of civil liberties. Through speeches, monetary donations, and public advocacy, she fought for the better future she had in mind.
In her personal life, Baker adopted upwards of eleven children, providing them with the loving and secure childhood she herself had not been afforded. And, through it all, she continued to live an extravagant life quite rightfully earned. Baker enjoyed many love affairs, with men and women both, stayed in the finest hotels, enjoyed the most luxurious foods, and kept the finest of company (Princess Grace even offered her an apartment in Monaco, towards the end of her life.) Though she was certainly a woman of politics, she never stopped enjoying the world of the sensual in which she got her start.
Now, Baker is honored all across the world for her advocacy for freedom. She even had a symbolic tomb in the Panthéon in Paris, a place meant to house and honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the French state and its people. Though her reputation is nowhere as boisterous as it was during her life, Josephine Baker left a permanent impression on the world that will not be forgotten any time soon.