Why would someone return to a place where people mistreat them for their color? Surprisingly, this happened to Josephine Baker. Josephine Baker made an important and positive influence on the civil rights era. In the early 1900s, Baker moved to France to dance and sing, but she faced racism when she returned to the United States for a show (Biography.com 2). The racism she encountered during her performance influenced Josephine Baker to become an activist. Baker started to adopt kids around the world and called them the “Rainbow Tribe” (Trex 6). Baker created the “Rainbow Tribe” to change how people view different races can live together in harmony. This project of hers and much more made a positive influence during the civil rights movement …show more content…
She was a singer, spy, actress, dancer, French Resistance agent, and Civil Rights activist. According to the article Josephine Baker, Josephine was born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri on June 3, 1906 (Britannica.com 1). This statement shows Josephine was born in a border state after the Jim Crow laws were enforced, and she faced racism in her daily life because of these laws. In Missouri, African- Americans were forced to live under the ideology of “separate, but equal”. This ideology was influenced by the decision made in the court case Plessy V. Ferguson in 1896. Jim Crow was formally introduced into the laws that did not enforce what they meant. African-Americans were treated as an inferior race, which caused them to become activists to attempt to overthrow these laws. Before her fame and wealth, McDonald grew up in a home with a very low source of income during The Jim Crow Era. Her mother, Carrie McDonald, was employed as a washerwoman. A washerwoman is a woman that washes clothes for others for pay. Her father, Eddie Carson, was employed as a vaudeville drummer. Baker lacked education due to living in poverty and working at a young age. She was also employed as a babysitter for wealthy white families as a child. When she was a teenager, she was employed as a waiter at The Old Chauffeur’s Club. McDonald first was married …show more content…
Baker influenced Civil Rights for society in a positive way by paving the way for African-Americans performers to perform in the U.S. in front of a white crowd, and she advocated for African-Americans to be in the crowd with whites in the theater. According to The Official Licensing Website of Josephine Baker, she made these changes by enforcing in her contract that she would not perform at theatres or venues that did not let all types of color patrons to pay to see her. When Josephine Baker returned to the U.S. for a show, she performed at Carnegie Hall in front of an interracial crowd and received an outstanding ovation (Cmgww.com 1). This statement shows us if Baker did not put her morals before money, African-American would not be able to watch performances in the same room with Caucasian people, and African-Americans would not be able to perform in front of Caucasians people without being afraid of their criticism. The author states, “and celebration of her as a ‘weapon in the holy war against racism’ (p 215)” (Boisseau 154). This quote shows Josephine’s positive acts made many people see her as a weapon against Jim Crow Laws. In addition, she influenced Civil Rights for society in a positive way by encouraging other civil rights leaders to keep up their work. In a letter written by Josephine Baker to Martin Luther King, she said, “We cannot stop now—on the contrary, we must double our
Josephine baker born in st.Louis missouri. In 1926 baker was an amazing dancer that lead her to be an creative in her outfits. In 1936 baker became a massive help during the french resistance. She was a clever dancer that in 1925 he began dancing in paris and in the united states. Years later in her career she adopted she 12 children. She always supported the civil rights movement. This is the life of josephine baker.
“Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.” This quote was said by Coretta Scott King during the civil rights movement. In South Carolina, there was segregation between the whites and the blacks. The majority of the whites discriminated the blacks and thought they were superior to the blacks. One of the activist and leader in changing the rights of African Americans was Mary Modjeska Monteith Simkins. With Simkins’ mother being a house slave, she had someone to tell her how they treated her and what she had to do as a slave. Simkins had the insight to a slave's conditions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes. This drove her to change African American rights. Simkins greatly impacted the growth of the Civil Rights Movement when she worked as
She was able to get her name out into the public and she did not let the fact that she was African - American stop her she persevered through all of the hardships and finally made it. Angela is now known as the best radical African - American educator that help to influence many people's lives. Also, many people believe that she is a very energetic and enthusiastic women that always kept fighting for civil rights for women that also involve social issues. Angela Davis was very aware of all the racist things that had been going around during that time and in fact she had known that if she did not fight no one would do it for her so she got up and made it happen buy putting an end to all of this. Davis was always an independant women that did not want any help she wanted to do it all by herself and let her voice be
She said “ I don't measure America by its achievement but by its potential.” She said this because it shows that it doesn’t matter what they did but what comes out of it. One of Shirley’s major accomplishment was becoming the first African American in Congress (history.com). In 1968 she was elected to the House Forestry Committee (biography.com). Shirley Chisholm was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969 (biography.com). She founded this because she felt like there needed to be a group of African Americans that thought the same. Another major accomplishments was being instituted in the National Women’s Hall of Fame (The Famous People). Her contributions to the country in many different occasions put her in the Hall of Fame in 1993 (The Famous People). In 1972 she ran for President of United States for the Democratic Party. She was the first African American women to run and got 152 delegates but did not win (Notable biographies and The Famous People). Shirley Chisholm had a lot of accomplishments to help African American women in the United
Without a doubt, Josephine demonstrates these objectives through her hard work and participation in the organization. She has been an active member of BAS since the Fall of 2014. For example, Social Action with the leadership of Josephine hosted a general body meeting entitled, “Green is the New Black”. This was an educational event about the intersection of race, class, and environmental justice (i.e. Flint Water Crisis, Dakota Access Pipeline, etc.). Josephine took the initiative to
First to a man named Willie Wells. Second she married Will Baker in which she took his last name.Josephine was the first woman to have a “ rainbow tribe” which is basically a child from every race and culture in total she adopted 12 kids for this “rainbow tribe” she wanted to show that all races can live together in harmony, she also was told by doctors that she couldn't have any kids. Josephine’s early work was being a maid and a waitress at a club. She had to face racism and segregation. She was proclaimed to be “ the most sensational woman anyone ever saw,” by Ernest Hemingway. She was also one of the most successful entertainers in France and other parts of Europe. She went on to become “the highest -paid chorus girl
Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine MacDonald in St. Louis, Missouri to her unwed parents: Carrie McDonald and Eddie Carson. Her father soon left the family and Josephine had to help her mother support herself and her three younger half-siblings. At age eight, she got a job working as a maid for a white family (Robinson). At age 12, she had dropped out of school to work. By age 14, she had moved out, been married, and separated from her first husband. She would later go onto marry and divorce three more men. Never was she financially dependent on any man, including her husbands.
She graduated with a career of Cosmetology. When she was 20 she married with Robert E. Joyner. They had two daughters. After that she opened a beauty salon. She associated with the famous by Josephine Baker’s, and became the director of Madame Walker’s. Also founded the United Beauty School Owners and Teachers Association in 1945. She was always committed to helping people.
In any war, there are people who are a part of the efforts that make it successful, but go unrecognized as a major “player” in it. The Civil War was no different and Susie (Baker) King Taylor is one of the many African-Americans that served in the “colored” regiments that helped the Union win the civil war. The fact that she was a woman makes her even more unique.
(ella baker.org) She was (sv)inspired to join the movement by her grandmother (w-w)who often confessed the brutality of life under slavery. (2)She was very (adj)inspiring to her community and even joined several organizations benefiting African Americans. One organization Baker was a part of called the SNCC helped create a Freedom Summer (bc)because they wanted to bring national attention to Mississippi’s racism and unwillingness to register black voters. (Ellabaker) (ly)Simply, she is remembered today for her “Audacity to Dream
Give light and people will find the way, Said Ella Baker. She was a woman, who even in the darkest hour, gave light to people everywhere. Being a Civil Rights activist in the 1930’s, she was one of the leading figures in the Civil Rights Movement. She dedicated her life to fighting for freedom and equality, and she deserves to be recognized worldwide.
She showed them that they could be equal. The only difference was the color of the skin. She taught them that that wasn’t even a big difference. She fought segregation her entire life.
On June 3rd, 1906 Freda Josephine McDonald was born to a washerwoman, Carrie McDonald and a Vanderville drummer Eddie Carson. Shortly after Josephine was born her Father abandoned their family and her Mother remarried a unemployed man named Arthur Martin. Their family would grow to include a son and two more daughters. When Josephine was just a child she started working to help her mother support their family. She would clean houses and babysit for wealthy white families. ( Louck, Haberman)
Starting her second education, she was forced to drop out to care for her ailing grandmother. With Jim Crow’s Law, heavily in affect, her childhood was greatly influenced by the segregation between white people and black people in almost every part of their lives.
During the 1960’s, Nina got involved with the current events – the civil rights fight – as an activist. Outraged by the events and her own struggles this led her to take action; She used her music to try to change society. Her music was often anthems for civil right movements - such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee - during the 1960s and 1970s. After almost 50 years of music, Nina Simone