Josephine Baker #1426

Caption from poster__   Black Venus   Josephine Baker   In 1923, when this photo was made of Baker, she was performing in Shuffle Along, the popular musical by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle. Given the nicknames "Black Venus,” "Black Pearl," "Creole Goddess," as well as "La Baker”in her adopted country of France, Josephine Baker (1906-1975), was known as the "It girl who danced her way through the 20's and 30's only dressed in bananas."  A dancer, singer, actress and a comedian all in one, Josephine Baker is noted for being the first woman of African descent to star in a major motion picture, to integrate an American concert hall, and to become a world famous entertainer.  Her acts were both outrageously funny and quite sexy. She was a star of stage, screen and recordings, a civil rights’ activist and an honored military woman during World War II.   Freda Josephine McDonald, was a French dancer, actress and singer. She was given the nicknames "Black Venus," "Black Pearl" and "Creo