Josephine Baker Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Josephine Baker Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
About Josephine Baker Freda Josephine McDonald, more popularly known as Josephine Baker, was an American-born French singer, dancer, and actress who became the first Black person to star in a motion picture called ‘Siren Of The Tropics’, which was a silent film directed by Henri Etievant and Mario Nalpas.Besides being a prolific artist, Baker was also a social rights activist and contributed to the French Resistance during World War II. For instance, she performed for the troops; she was an honorable correspondent for the French Resistance (including undercover work during World War II like delivering secret messages) and was a sub-lieutenant in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.When she started, Baker got highly popular and used to lead the revues of the Folies Bergère Theater in Paris, and particularly, her act in ‘Un vent de folie’ made her a sensation. In this revue, her costume was only a skirt made of artificial bananas and a necklace made of beads, which gave her an iconic image. Soon, Baker got the tags of ‘Black Venus,’ ‘Black Pearl,’ ‘Bronze Venus,’ and ‘Creole Goddess.‘Josephine Baker Net Worth, Earnings & Spending HabitsWhat was Josephine Baker’s net worth?Josephine was estimated to have a net worth of $10 million at her death.How much did Josephine Baker earn per year?The exact figures of her annual income are not known to the media.Height, Age & Physical AttributesHow tall was Josephine Baker?Josephine was 5 ft 7 in (171 cm) tall.How old was Josephine Baker?Josephine was born on June 3, 1906, and died on April 12, 1975. She was 68 at the time of her death.Childhood And EducationBaker was born as Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, to her father, Eddie Carson, and her mother, Carrie McDonald. Eddie Carson abandoned his family, which made Carrie McDonald marry Arthur Martin. They had a son and two daughters.Baker worked as a cleaner to look after her kids and experienced racism. She started working as a waitress at The Old Chauffeur’s Club.Family, Romance, And RelationshipsWho was Josephine Baker’s partner?At The Old Chauffeur’s Club, she came across Wille Wells, and they were married for some time. She married and divorced three more times. After Willie Wells, it was Willie Baker (William Baker), followed by Frenchman Jean Lion and then Jo Bouillon.Although she was born in St. Louis, Missouri, she renounced her American citizenship and became a French citizen when she married Jean Lion.Career And Professional HighlightsBest Known For…Baker is best known for being a singer, dancer, and social rights activist and being the first Black woman to star in a motion picture.In 1919, Baker went on a US tour with The Dixie Steppers and The Jones Family Band, where she mostly performed comedy skits. When these groups disbanded, she tried to become a chorus girl for The Dixie Steppers’ production, Shuffle Along, but she was not given a chance. However, this did not dishearten her; instead, she learned the lines while working as a dresser. So, when a dancer left, Baker replaced her. In her act, she added a comedic touch that the audience loved. Then she was seen in the Broadway show ‘Chocolate Dandies’ when she decided to move to New York City. Simultaneously, she was also performing at the Plantation Club.At the Folies Bergère Theater, she starred in La Folie du Jour, which gave her celebrity status. This even led her to become one of the most photographed women besides Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. Soon, she became the highest-paid entertained in the whole of Europe. Her appearance followed this in two movies: Princesse Tam-Tam and Zou-Zou.In the early ’30s, Baker moved with her family to Les Milandes, her famous estate in Castlenaud-Fayrac, France. However, she returned to America in 1936 to perform in Ziegfeld Follies. After this, she returned to France and took part in the French Resistance during World War II.Baker took another chance in the ’50s and the ’60s to fight racism in the United States. She was denied service at NYC’s popular Stork Club, which led her to go on a debate against the pro-segregation columnist Walter Winchell. Her efforts were recognized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as they named May 20 Josephine Baker Day.Around this time, she got engaged in adopting children and formed a family called ‘The Rainbow Tribe.’ The main aim behind this was to establish the fact that children from any background, race, and religion can be together. Whenever she traveled cross country, she took her children along.In the meantime, she was married four times to different people, ending in divorce. During one of her travels to the US, she became close friends with American artist Robert Brady, which happened after she divorced her fourth husband, Jo Bouillon. She did not engage in any typical romantic equation and focused on a platonic relationship. Robert Brady reciprocated the same idea, and in an empty church, they exchanged marriage vows. They were not legally married, but they shared a pure bond for the rest of their lives. In the same year, Baker again performed in America at Carnegie Hall. She was nervous, but the audience was receptive this time.At 68, Baker premiered at the Bobino Theater in Paris, France, which celebrities like Princess Grace of Monaco and Sophia Loren attended. In this act, Baker mainly performed snippets from her 50-year career. This was her last performance, as she died from a cerebral hemorrhage some days later.Her death attracted countless people to the streets of Paris, France, so they could watch the funeral procession. She received a 21-gun salute from the French government, making her the first American woman to be buried in France with military honors. She rests at the Cimetiére de Monaco.Based on her life, HBO released a film called ‘The Josephine Baker Story’, which earned five Emmy Awards and won one of the three Golden Globes nominations.What awards did Josephine Baker win?The most notable award received by Baker was the Medal of the Resistance with Rosette. Also, the French government named her a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.Main image credit: Boris15 /Shutterstock
Josephine Baker Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Josephine Baker Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
Freda Josephine McDonald, more popularly known as Josephine Baker, was an American-born French singer, dancer, and actress who became the first Black person to star in a motion picture called ‘Siren Of The Tropics’, which was a silent film directed by Henri Etievant and Mario Nalpas.
Josephine Baker Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Josephine Baker Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Birth Name Freda Josephine McDonald
Place Of Birth Missouri, USA Age 117 years old
Birth Date June 3 1906
Josephine Baker Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
Josephine Baker Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
Child Star? no Occupation Singer, Dancer, Actress, Social Rights Activist Education & Qualifications
Net Worth $10,000,000
Parents Eddie Carson, Carrie McDonald
