African Americana

3 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. lithographed postcard (minor paper residue on verso). 

Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975). She was born in St. Louis, MO, but later in life moved to France and became a naturalized citizen there, renouncing her American citizenship. During WWII she supported and aided the French resistance. As an entertainer, she was able to move around the country relatively freely and even mingle with enemy officers, from whom she gathered much useful information for the Allies. For her service she was awarded a number of French military honors, including the Croix de Guerre and became a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. 

She found most of her entertainment success in Europe, but later became active in Civil Rights events in America, even being the only scheduled woman speaker at the March on Washington in 1963, standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial next to Dr. King. She was known for cancelling many of her American shows whenever the venue tried to restrict access by African Americans or segregate the audiences. She was the first African American woman to star in a film (silent, 1927, Siren of the Tropics). 

She adopted a dozen children from all over the world. She even raised some in different religions. Her “Rainbow Tribe” was to prove people of different heritages and different religions could live together peacefully and respectfully. It was a financial stress, however, and later in life she lost her French chateau. She had befriended Princess Grace of Monaco along the way, and Grace gave her some support after she was homeless. After her death of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1975, she was interred in the Monaco Cemetery.