Josephine Baker Essay Example

from home and became a waitress at

Old Chauffeur's Club. While she work there, there were performances that she was interested in to become an entertainer, "l improvised, crazed by the music... Even my teeth and eyes burned with fever. Each time I leaped I seemed to touch the sky and when I regained earth it seemed to be mine alone. " Josephine is so inspired with music and dancing that she would die for it. While she was working, she met a man name Willie Baker, whom she married for a short period of time. She never depend on a man for financial support and she never hesitated to leave the relationships.

Josephine Baker spent her youth in poverty before learning to dance and finding success on Broadway. Second, Josephine Baker career started at an early age in Paris. She started out as a preteen street performer in SST. Louis, Missouri and toured the country with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers. She tried to become a chorus girl for the Dixie Steppers production, "Shuffle Along". She was turned down because she was too skinny and too dark. She was still determined to learn the role of a chorus girl, she then got place in the production.

She was the comedic act of the show that made err popular with the audiences. With the obsession of France, she traveled to Paris to perform in La Revue Negro at the theater where she admires cultural figures and earning nicknames like "Black Pearl" and "Black Venus". Her career thrived in Paris Society when she perform,"Dense Savage". Josephine knew how to manipulate racial stereotypes to

near advantage when seen appeared naked except Tort a tiny skull made of bananas, playing the role of the primal, and cleverly handles with white people's ideas about race and sexuality, "l wasn't really naked.

I simply didn't have NY clothes on. " Josephine was elegant and self-aware and like nothing anyone had ever seen. Furthermore, Josephine style of dancing is what makes it unique, new, and exotic. Third, Josephine Baker influence her society by the work she does. Josephine felt that it was her duty to help advance the Civil Right Movement in America. In theaters that discriminate, she would refuse to go on stage until blacks were allowed to sit in the same areas as whites. Baker was the first African American woman who spoke with Martin Luther King Jar. N March 1962 on Washington. She told the crowd that hey look like, "Salt and Pepper. Just what it should be. " She wanted everyone to stop administrating the blacks and everyone to get along. Josephine was involved in French Resistance during World War II as a nurse. She devoted herself to fight for segregation and racism against the United States. She helped the French by smuggling hidden messages in her music sheets and underwear, "l like French men very much, because even when they insult you, they do it nicely. This shows that in United States they rejected her and said offensive things, thus the French men's say it lately. Throughout the rest of her life, Josephine did many other things in protest of racial inequality, the most famous being she adopted twelve different ethnicity children's. She referred her adopted family as

"Rainbow Tribe". Josephine wanted her to prove that "children of different ethnicities and religions could still be brothers. " Josephine was awarded the Medal of the Resistance and the Legion of Honor by the French Government for hard work and dedication.

Moreover, Josephine involvement in the society has change what a person views towards segregation and schism today. Fourth, a person admire Josephine Baker because she is the most versatile entertainer and a kind person. She did charity work in Paris and appearing at benefits. She was a well-paid performer and she chose to help others by "kisses babies in founding homes, gave dolls to the young and soup to the aged. " She fought against racism and for equality, "Not everybody has the same color, the same language, or the same customs, but they have the same heart, the same blood, and the same need for love. A person believe Josephine Baker should be honored cause of the many generous things she has done for other people. She risked her life getting information and secrets to the French Resistance. She stood up for herself and other African American people by supporting the Civil Rights movement. She also eave twelve children a home were they were loved and cared for. She continues to inspire a individual to reach their dreams and not be stopped by what appears to linger in the way. In conclusion, Josephine Baker was a dancer and singer who became wildly popular in France during the sass.

She devoted much of her life to fighting racism. Josephine struggle to make money for her family but it pay off at the end when

she develop an interest in dancing and singing. Josephine made quite an impression with her performances on French audience which got her famous; she was an overnight sensation. Josephine handwork and dedication has pay off to fight racism and make a change In ten collect. Josephine Inspires me to De a netter person Ana stand up Tort what I believe in. She makes me want to be my own person and make myself important to other people so that they can depend on me later on.