This weeks Sunday Superhero is an extraordinary woman that I discovered only this week called Josephine Baker. Josephine Baker rose to fame and prominence in the 1920's and 1930's mainly in the United States and France with her music. Her fame was far greater in France apparently due to the racism prevalent in America at the time but despite that at the time it is estimated that she was the wealthiest performer in Europe. In the early 1930's she added two movies to her resume starring in films, "Zou Zou" and "Princess Tam-Tam". She than returned to America to star in the Ziefield Follies and make a name for herself in the states but was called a "Negro Wench" by the New York times so rightfully so she left and made her way back to where she was better accepted, France. By this time in the rest of the world the Nazis were spreading their hate across France and Baker joined the Women's Auxillory Air Force. On top of that, she worked for the Resistance movement by spreading news via secret messages hidden in her sheet music and driving ambulances. She was awarded the Medal of Resistance and given the title of Chevalier Legion of Honor for her work in the movement.
By the 1950's she toured the US and would hold her ground and insist on not playing to segregated audiences and clubs. She was deemed the NAACP's Most Outstanding Woman of the year in 1951. That same year, she was refused service at the Stork Club in New York that night and called a communist by journalist Walter Winchell. She threw a benefit concert on behalf of the NAACP at Carnegie Hall and spoke at the March On Washington in 1963 with Martin Luther King Jr. May 20 is now Josephine Baker Day honoring her work for the Civil Rights Movement.
After outwitting the racists of the world, and fighting the good fight literally on the front lines, Bakerbegan adopting children into her family which would become known as "The Rainbow Tribe". With twelve children [yes, thats twelve.] of different ethnicities, Baker shook off the Nazi's and segregationists of the world once more,with a family who proved skin color really did not matter.
Baker sadly passes away in 1975 from a stroke. She was the first American woman buried in France with a 21 gun salute. Stories like this honestly light up my days, Josephine was a remarkable woman and a wonderful talent, I only hope to do half as much for people with disabilities like me that she did for African Americans in her culture. Here is a video of Josephine Baker in all her glory below.
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