Josephine Baker

Born 100 years ago in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker escaped racism and a life of poverty to become one of the most celebrated women in Paris, a legendary Jazz Age entertainer, a film star, spy, and civil rights activist. This biography spotlights her story with new photographs and updated information. Baker began performing comic skits on stage at age 13, and starred in the first all-black Broadway musical in 1922. She traveled to Paris in 1925 and became an overnight sensation when she stepped onto the stage of the Folies Bergere music hall wearing nothing but a skirt made of bananas. When her beloved France was occupied by German troops in World War II, Baker joined the French Resistance, smuggling secret messages on her music sheets. Later, she became active in the civil rights movement and adopted 12 children of diverse nationalities to show that those of different races truly could be brothers and sisters. ""Josephine Baker: Entertainer"" is an outstanding introduction to the life and legacy of this extraordinary American.