Now introducing the sensational josephine baker wall street journal, 1102014. Josephine baker was born freda josephine mcdonald on june 3, 1906 in st. Josephine baker in art and life the icon and the image. Josephine baker love alone together people i remember when lindbergh arrived in paris, i was one of the first persons to know about his landing, because as the french people know that i was born in st. Josephine baker has continued to intrigue and inspire people throughout the world. Ui press hannah durkin josephine baker and katherine. Ui press bennetta julesrosette josephine baker in art. Feb 04, 1990 there have been more than a dozen books written about josephine baker. Josephine worked as a dancer, an actor and even a spy. Written in free verse, the dazzling life of josephine baker by patricia hruby powell and illustrated by christian robinson is a beautiful little book and a great introduction to the life of the indomitable and glamorous african americanfrench dancer.
The life story of josephine baker, told by writings of hers and her associates. Becoming josephine baker josephine baker was born in a poor, black ghetto of st. Meet josephine baker, the worldfamous entertainer, activist, and french resistance agent in this true story of her life. Her mother hoped to be a music hall dancer but was forced to make a living as a laundress. World renowned performer, world war ii spy, and activist are few of the titles used to describe josephine baker. Josephine baker and katherine dunham dances in literature and cinema. Jun 03, 2007 josephine baker s cultural legacy is still alive beyond the hundredth anniversary of her birth in 1906. Josephine baker and katherine dunham were the two most acclaimed and commercially successful african american dancers of their era and among the first black women to enjoy international screen careers. The josephine baker story is an american television film that first aired on hbo on march 16, 1991. The entry should cover much more of the difficulties she encountered. Would the perfect family contain a child from every race. There have been more than a dozen books written about josephine baker.
Josephine baker biography life, name, school, mother. Josephine baker thought so and adopted a rainbow tribe of children to prove her point. Dec 04, 2018 discover the fascinating and singular life story of josephine baker actress, singer, dancer, civil rights activist, member of the french resistance during wwii, and a woman dedicated to erasing prejudice and creating a more equitable world. With her father gone, josephine had a difficult childhood. Biography the official licensing website of josephine baker. One of the most successful african american performers in french history, baker s career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world. The other book the josephine baker story combined with the hungry heart gives the reader the full story. Two great artists creating new visions of black womanhood. Dec 01, 20 written in free verse, the dazzling life of josephine baker by patricia hruby powell and illustrated by christian robinson is a beautiful little book and a great introduction to the life of the indomitable and glamorous african americanfrench dancer. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, josephine s powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself. He is also the author of monographs devoted to henrigeorges.
Josephine by patricia hruby powell, illustrated by. She herself wrote five autobiographies, a novel and a collection of fairy tales that expressed her vision of universal. When i began collecting material for a book about her, right after her. If i could rewrite a single entry from the book, it would be this one it is too harsh on her. Josephine baker, americanborn french dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of black american culture, which took paris by storm in the 1920s. Mar 02, 2020 josephine baker was a dancer and singer who became wildly popular in france during the 1920s. In this illuminating biographical novel, sherry jones brings to life josephine s early years in servitude and poverty in america, her rise to fame as a. The josephine baker story by brian gibson brian gibson, lynn. Jazz age josephine book by jonah winter, marjorie priceman. Readertotz honors the colorful exuberance of both the jazz era and bakers life. Josephine bakers last dance by sherry jones from the author of the jewel of medina, a moving and insightful novel based on the life of legendary performer. Sara josephine baker november 15, 1873 february 22, 1945 was an american physician notable for making contributions to public health, especially in the immigrant communities of new york city. Then, slipping on a halo of jazz and jewels, she calls herself josephine baker.
The life of madame baker was a series of these risky leaps. Author extraordinaire, joness novel josephine baker s last dance although classified as fiction, jones wrote the book with the accomplished knowledge and precision of josephine baker s life. Josephine baker 190675 was a dancer, singer, actress, author, politician, militant, and philanthropist, whose images and cultural legacy have survived beyond the hundredth anniversary of her birth. Overnight, the young american dancer became the idol of the roaring twenties, captivating picasso, cocteau, le corbusier, and simenon. I understand that baker came of age in the earlier half of the 1900s when the united states and the world was a different place. I was just reading the brilliant josephine baker book josephine. Josephine baker was a dancer and singer who became wildly popular in france during the 1920s. It stars lynn whitfield as josephine baker, who is regarded for being the first international africanamerican star, despite her more prominent success in europe. Her fight against the damage that widespread urban poverty and ignorance caused to children, especially newborns, is perhaps her most lasting legacy. Based on twenty years of research and thousands of interviews, this.
Its an ambitious tome, large enough to prop open a door, and covers her life from birth to death. A life devoted to selfexpression through dance and racial harmony is celebrated in this lavish, lengthy picture book. Louis, she didnt have the same opportunities as white entertainers. A biography of the american entertainer, josephine baker who influenced the spread of american 20th century music throughout europe. Louis, thinking i would be very proud to announce it to the public, they gave me the news first. Josephine by patricia hruby powell, illustrated by christian robinson book trailer duration. A closedcaptioned english soundtrack is rendered in dolby digital 5. If you own the book, you get access to over 5,000 images of concept art, reference imagery, and alternate version illustrations, as well as over 1,000 manhours of timelapse footage all you need to do is click here. Mind you it would be well deserved that the role she played in human rights was more publicised than it is. She could be extremely unlikeable, while some people worshipped her. Based on twenty years of research and thousands of interviews, this authoritative biography of performer josephine baker 19061975 provides a candid look at her. An introduction to six women who roared through the. Although this is a fictionalized account, sherry joness intensive research creates a threedimensional portrait of a truly extraordinary woman, to make her experiences as real and truetolife as possible. Nov 01, 2015 josephine baker and the rainbow tribe duration.
I opened this picture book and was completely amazed. Its the poor girl getting the early knocks in life rising to stardom through her self determination and personality. Dec 18, 20 in exuberant verse and stirring pictures, patricia hruby powell and christian robinson create an extraordinary portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate josephine baker, the. The dazzling life of josephine baker by patricia hruby powell and christian robinson. Baker was born freda josephine mcdonald in 1906 in the mill creek valley, west of union station. She also devoted much of her life to fighting racism. This is a very long book, with a lot of detail about josephine baker s life. It exists in live performances, art, photography, fashion, film, literature, and social. Her talent seems to get better with age and she becomes an icon in france through her years on stage and amazing. The book features wonderful vivid illustrations of josephine baker life and career.
Between the ages of 8 and 10 she was out of school, helping to support her family. Writing in free verse, former dancer powell pays homage to the fabulous josephine baker. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Yet josephine was also, as one critic put it, a monster who made joan crawford look like the virgin mary. Sep 01, 2006 as for her queer lifewell, most of the biographies, including her own memoirs ghostwritten by others and the 1991 hbo film bio the josephine baker story, starring lynn whitfield, simply ignore it. Josephine baker sought to live a life outside the color line, in a world where her. Bakers view of himself were not as complex as it is, the book would simply be hateful. Mar 31, 2017 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. The dazzling life of josephine baker coretta scott king illustrator honor books. Josephine baker in art and life the new york times. In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, patricia hruby powell and christian robinson create an extraordinary portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate josephine baker. Follow josephine baker and explore their bibliography from s josephine baker author page.
Author finds that josephine baker was inspired by eva peron. Louis, missouri, on june 3, 1906, to twentyoneyearold carrie macdonald. By the time i had finished it, i was convinced that she may have been somewhat unhinged. Fluent in both english and french, baker became an international musical and political icon. Josephine bakers last dance book by sherry jones official. Josephine baker simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. So, she moved to paris where audiences fell in love with her. Louis, to park benches in new york city, all the way onto theatre stages in the city of light. Nearly two decades after her death, the legend of josephine baker continues to flourish. Drawing on bryan hammonds personal collection, this book places.
Josephine baker is most famous for her provocative banana skirt, but she was much more than that. This board book version of josephine baker from the beloved little people, big dreams seriesfollows the incredible life of josephine baker, from growing up in st. Apr 19, 2014 a new book, josephine baker and the rainbow tribe by matthew pratt guterl, is about another irresistible part of the baker story her adoption of 12 children of various colors and. Brian gibsons biopic the josephine baker story comes to dvd with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that produces an image with an aspect ratio of 1. Baker, was an american author and pentecostal missionary to tibet from 1911 to 1919, to china from 1919 to 1950, when forced to leave the mainland, and then in taiwan from 1955 until his death in 1971 with his wife and coworker josephine, pastor baker began the adullam rescue mission for street children in yunnan province, china. Josephine baker born freda josephine mcdonald, naturalised french josephine baker. Top 10 interesting facts about josephine baker discover. Her career was centered primarily in europe, mostly in her adopted france.
Author extraordinaire, joness novel josephine bakers last dance although classified as fiction, jones wrote the book with the accomplished knowledge and precision of josephine bakers life. This is a very long book, with a lot of detail about josephine bakers life. Josephine baker s cultural legacy is still alive beyond the hundredth anniversary of her birth in 1906. Her father was a vaudeville drummer named eddie carson who abandoned josephine and her mother, carrie mcdonald, at an early age. By 19 years old, she had leapt from the slums of st.
Readertotz honors the colorful exuberance of both the jazz era and baker s life. One of the most successful african american performers in french history, bakers career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world. Louis in 1906 she became a star of stage in france and ultimately worldwide, was involved in the french resistance in ww2, adopted 12 children from all over the world. Josephine baker 19061975 was nineteen years old when she found herself in paris for the first time in 1925. Segregated american clubs were willing to let africanamerican dancer josephine baker 19061975 perform, but they wouldnt let her use the front door. The dazzling life of josephine baker coretta scott king illustrator honor books powell, patricia hruby, robinson, christian on. Baker lead a very full and exciting life, however, which makes capturing it all in one book difficult. The huge exception is jeanclaude bakers 1993 book josephine. Josephine baker sought to live a life outside the color line, in a world where her superb talent and spirited, superior heart could triumph.