Josephine Baker

ENTERTAINER

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri

June 3, 1906-April 12, 1975

At the age of sixteen, she starred in the musical Shuffle Along. Her vibrant and

humorous act attracted attention and established her has a sparkling entertainer.

She starred in the Broadway show The Chocolate Dandies in 1924. In 1925, clad

only in a string of bananas, she became a sensation in Paris for her act in La

Revue Negre.

Josephine was a great humanitarian also. The French honored Josephine for her efforts during World War

II. After the war, she became the mother of the "rainbow tribe." which consisted of children from various

ethnic backgrounds that she adopted.