Josephine Baker — Timeline
Key moments in the life of Josephine Baker.
1906
Born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3 in St. Louis, Missouri
1923
Moved to Paris and began her career as a dancer
1925
Performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, becoming an international sensation
1926
Opened at the Folies Bergère, becoming the highest-paid music hall performer in Europe
1937
Became a French citizen and began her civil rights activism
1939
Worked as an intelligence agent for the French military during World War II
1951
Returned to the United States to perform and advocate for civil rights
1961
Became a member of the French Resistance and received the Croix de Lorraine for her wartime service
1973
Adopted 12 children of different races and nationalities as her 'Rainbow Tribe' to demonstrate human unity
1975
Died on April 12 in Paris, France, at age 68; received a state funeral with military honors