Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker (3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975), born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, became one of the most iconic entertainers of the 20th century. She rose to international fame during the Jazz Age, performing in Paris in the mid-1920s where her innovative dance style and magnetic stage presence captivated European audiences. Her most famous act featured her dancing in a skirt made of artificial bananas, an image that became synonymous with 1920s modernity and liberation. Beyond her entertainment career, Baker became a prominent civil rights activist, using her platform and fame to fight against racial discrimination and segregation. She famously refused to perform for segregated audiences in the United States and became an icon of the civil rights movement. In 1961, Baker adopted twelve children from different ethnic backgrounds to demonstrate that people of different races could live together harmoniously. Her courage in speaking out against racism, combined with her artistic genius, made her a symbol of both cultural revolution and moral conviction. Baker died in Paris in 1975 and received a state funeral, making her the first woman of African descent honored in this way.