Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 3, 1906. She was a dancer, singer, actress and comedienne. Josephine auditioned to be a dancer in Shuffle Along in 1922 but she wasn’t chosen because of the color of her skin. She worked as a wardrobe assistant for the show and learned the chorus routine. She replaced the dancer when the dancer left. She brought comedy to the part by acting clumsy and putting attitude into her part. The audience loved her and she became a draw for Shuffle Along. A key point came in Josephine’s career when she travelled to Paris in 1925 and performed in La Revue Nègre. She wore nothing but a feather skirt in La Revue Nègre and she was an instant success. Her career thrived and she became gigantic in Paris. She returned to the United States in 1936 to perform in the Ziegfield Follies but it didn’t turn out well. She was rejected by the American audience. American audiences didn’t like the idea of a Black woman who had so much power and sophistication. She went back to Europe with a broken heart. However, she returned to the United States to perform again in 1973 at Carnegie Hall. This time the audience loved her and showed her great respect and admiration. She was overcome with emotion onstage. Josephine Baker died at the age of 68 in April 1975.

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