Born Freda McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1906, she rose from being a street performer to international stardom. Dropping out of school at the age of twelve, she made and lost millions over her lifetime. A decorated World War II heroine, civil rights activist and supporter of children's causes, Josephine adopted twelve children, crossing race and religious boundaries. She died in 1975, after a performance in Paris.

• Select a simple phrase (for example, "Good morning, how are you? I am fine, thank you.") and learn how to say it in four different languages other than English.
• Use the Internet to discover the role the french Resistance served in World War II.
• Search the Internet for pictures of vaudeville entertainers.
• Josephine Baker began her career as a clown. Find books in the library that tell about the history of clowns in the United States.

[To Be An American]

[Home] [Historical Figures] [Profiles of Actresses] [Performance Schedule][Programs] [Awards and Testimonials] [Contact Women in History]