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Josephine Baker Research Paper

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Peeling Away the Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that brought attention to the achievements of African Americans and challenged their racial stereotypes. It was a period when African Americans became famous for their creativity and talents. It was also a time when Blacks faced racial discrimination and segregation. Josephine Baker’s cultural heritage and identity were a big part of her career. Their music and works of art would contribute to their African American culture to express their identities. This cultural movement had a great and lasting impact on American society. It showed that African Americans had the talent and creativity to be recognized. Josephine Baker was one of many influential people throughout …show more content…

During the Harlem Renaissance, Josephine Baker “also served as a member of the French Resistance forces” and became like a secret spy who “smuggled messages in her lyrics that were sent back to France from opposing forces.” (“Josephine Baker”). Later she got to perform at a showcase in Paris in La Revue Nègre. Once that showcase closed down, she got her own show where she would perform. Josephine Baker had slipped into a coma while asleep, after a great show and late-night dancing with a bunch of celebrities. She later passed away on April 12, 1975, at the age of sixty-eight. Her difficult life is what led her to be a powerful and remembered person throughout the Harlem Renaissance. A lot of achievements were made by Josephine Baker, through awards and changes in history. Josephine Baker was one the world’s most photographed women and Europe’s highest-paid entertainer. This helped and influenced Black entertainers to be recognized as artists. She was rewarded with the Resistance Medal that was presented to her by the French Committee of National …show more content…

Josephine Baker contributed to the Harlem Renaissance, as the first African American to star in a major motion picture. She was the first female to integrate in an American concert hall. She was also the first African American to become a world-famous entertainer. "J'ai Deux Amours,’ which translates to ‘I have two loves,’ was performed by Josephine Baker in the 1930s” (“J’ai Deux Amours.”), where she changed the lyrics of it from “My country it’s Paris” to “My country and Paris.” Baker was well known for her banana skirt that became trending after she wore it at a performance in the Folies Bergère. This became part of her legacy and name. Her unique style of performance and her showcase that represented her culture, captured the public’s attention, which led to the opening of her nightclub, and continued to perform as a dancer and singer in Paris and the United States. Josephine Baker assisted the French Resistance and received a French military honor as the first African American Female, “she is also noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States” (“J’ai Deux Amours for Project

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