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Josephine Baker
Freda Josephine Baker, also spelled Joséphine Baker, was an American-born French dancer, singer, and actress, and a spy for the French Resistance. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, the 1927 French silent film Siren of the Tropics, directed by Mario Nalpas and Henri Étiévant.
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entertainment · American-born French entertainer (1906–1975) · singer · vedette · film actor · street artist · dancer · jazz musician · model · actor · military officer · intelligence officer · also Josephine Baker, Freda Josephine Baker, Joséphine Baker, Baker
Born 3 June 1906 · Died 12 April 1975 · Q151972
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2026· 4 entries
Public attention spiked: 15,310 Wikipedia readers in one day, 8.8× the usual 1,731, with 18 article edits. Editors noted: Dating maintenance tags: {{Contradictory inline}}
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Yahoo: FKA Twigs confirmed to play Josephine Baker in movie biopic
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Yahoo: FKA Twigs Confirmed For Josephine Baker Role In Maïmouna Doucouré’s Biopic As Studiocanal Launches Sales – Cannes Market
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2025· 1 entry
The Washington Post: Josephine Baker, in her own words, amplifies her renown as provocateur
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2022· 1 entry
Women's Wear Daily: Josephine Baker Show Bows in France in Advance of Museum Dedicated to Her
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2021· 4 entries
People: Josephine Baker Is the First Black Woman Honored at the Panthéon in Paris
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NBC News: Josephine Baker becomes first Black woman honored at Paris’ Panthéon
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Baker was inducted into the Panthéon in Paris, the first black woman to receive one of the highest honors in France
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The painting set a world record (EUR 179,200) for the artist
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2018· 1 entry
Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening (French: Joséphine Baker, première icône noire), a French documentary directed by Ilana Navaro, premiered at the Beirut Art Film Festival in 2018, later broadcast on, including:
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2017· 1 entry
The 111th anniversary of her birth, Google released an animated Google Doodle, which consists of a slideshow chronicling her life and achievements
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2015· 1 entry
Was inducted into the Legacy Walk in Chicago, Illinois
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2011· 1 entry
Sonia Rolland portrayed Baker in the film Midnight in Paris
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2010· 1 entry
Keri Hilson portrayed Baker in her single "Pretty Girl Rock"
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2007· 1 entry
Mark Miller published his biography of Valaida Snow: High Hat, Trumpet and Rhythm: The Life and Music of Valaida Snow (Toronto: The Mercury Press ISBN 9781551281278), in which he evokes Valaida's partnership and rivalry
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2006· 3 entries
Annette von Wangenheim directed the documentary Joséphine Baker: Black Diva in a White Mans World, about Baker's life and work from a perspective that analyses images of Black people in popular culture
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Deborah Cox starred in the musical Josephine at Florida's Asolo Theatre, directed and choreographed by Joey McKneely, with a book by Ellen Weston and Mark Hampton, music by Steve Dorff and lyrics by John Bettis
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Jérôme Savary produced a musical, A La Recherche de Josephine – New Orleans for Ever (Looking for Josephine), starring Nicolle Rochelle
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2002· 1 entry
Baker was portrayed by Karine Plantadit in the biopic Frida
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1999· 1 entry
And Noël was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was in a psychiatric hospital as of 2009
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1991· 1 entry
Baker's life story, The Josephine Baker Story, was broadcast on HBO
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1986· 2 entries
Jean-Claude Baker opened Chez Josephine in New York City
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Helen Gelzer portrayed Baker on the concept album Josephine – "a musical version of the life and times of Josephine Baker" with book, lyrics and music by Michael Wild
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1975· 2 entries
Died 1975-04-12.
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Baker starred in a retrospective revue at the Bobino in Paris, "Joséphine à Bobino 1975" celebrating her 50 years in show business
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1973· 1 entry
Performed at Carnegie Hall to a standing ovation
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1968· 4 entries
Baker visited Yugoslavia and made appearances in Belgrade, Šibenik and in Skopje
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Baker lost her château owing to unpaid debts; afterwards Princess Grace offered her an apartment in Roquebrune, near Monaco
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Was offered unofficial leadership in the movement following the assassination of Martin Luther King, but declined due to concerns for the welfare of her children
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In Belgrade and at Carnegie Hall in 1973 and at the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium and at the "Gala du Cirque" in Paris in 1974
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1963· 2 entries
Spoke at the March on Washington at the side of Rev
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After intervention by Attorney General Robert F
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1957· 3 entries
Awarded Knight of the Legion of Honour presented by Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1957).
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Awarded Croix de guerre 1939–1945 presented by Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1957).
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Baker gave a speech at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, criticizing racial discrimination
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1952· 1 entry
Baker was hired to crown the Queen of the Cavalcade of Jazz for the famed eighth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr
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1951· 1 entry
Baker was invited back to the United States for a nightclub engagement in Miami
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1949· 1 entry
A reinvented Baker returned in triumph to the Folies Bergère
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1948· 1 entry
A Chez Josephine cabaret opened in Paris
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1947· 1 entry
Around the time she adopted her 11th child; their union lasted 14 years before also ending in divorce
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1945· 1 entry
On the basis of dubious evidence, and sentenced to death
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1941· 2 entries
An incident that precipitated an emergency hysterectomy
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And her entourage went to the French colonies in North Africa
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1940· 1 entry
Baker left Paris and went to the Château des Milandes, her home in the Dordogne département in the south of France
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1937· 3 entries
“Mr. Paul Derval, Director of the Folies Bergére, commissions Mr. (Maurice) Hermite to produce the Grand Revue EN SUPER FOLIES”
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Baker married Frenchman Jean Lion, but they separated in 1940
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Baker married the French industrialist Jean Lion, thus becoming a French citizen
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1936· 2 entries
Paul Derval (1880–1966) brought Baker from New York City to Paris to lead the revue En Super Folies, opening in October 1936
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Established a second "Chez Josephine" cabaret in New York City, the first of which Baker had invested her own money
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1934· 1 entry
Took the lead in a revival of Jacques Offenbach's opera La créole, which premiered in December of that year for a six-month run at the Théâtre Marigny on the Champs-Élysées of Paris
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1930· 1 entry
Baker sang professionally for the first time
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1929· 2 entries
En route from South America to France, Baker had an affair with the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret)
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Baker became the first African-American star to visit Yugoslavia, which she included on a tour through Central Europe via the Orient Express
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1927· 1 entry
Alexander Calder created Josephine Baker (III), a wire sculpture of Baker, which is now displayed at the Museum of Modern Art
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1926· 2 entries
Abatino established the first Chez Josephine cabaret at 40 Rue Fontaine, in Montmartre, Paris, as a gift to Baker
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To star at the Folies Bergère, setting the standard for her future acts
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1925· 3 entries
And opened on October 2 in La Revue nègre at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, performing Danse Sauvage with fr:Joe Alex, barely wearing a feather skirt
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Allegedly began an extramarital relationship with the Belgian novelist Georges Simenon
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During a period when her career success was beginning
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1917· 1 entry
When she was 11, a terrified Josephine McDonald witnessed racial violence in East St
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1906· 1 entry
Born 1906-06-03.
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1886· 1 entry
By Richard and Elvira McDonald, both of whom were former slaves of African descent
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