Josephine baker biography piece

Jimmy Saling

Prof Devaney

Eng 101
Rm: 226

        What does it take to be remembered instead of mention? Imagine someone who is an entertainer, a pioneer, a standard setter, a true humanitarian, a civil rights activist , is self made, has wide spread fame and is a strong black woman role model what name would you say? Oprah Winfrey? Good choice. Go back in history and pick another. Many women can fit this description.This woman transcended being larger than life and a true activist of equality not to mention an amazing performer and her name was Freda Josephine Baker.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 3 1906 she grew up very quickly being dubbed the nickname the black pearl. She faced poverty and comes from a financially struggling background much like Oprah and never hand anything she didn't work hard to obtain or achieve same as Oprah.

    The both have had similar journeys and paved their own way to achieve the things they wanted. Freda Josephine Baker was a Diva in every definition of the word and what persona that entails. Much like Winfrey , Baker was a go against the grain , trendsetting and activist for women's rights and  a humanitarian as well .

Gaining fame in the 1920s France Baker became a well known name in the United States as a singer and dancer. With her goddess like body she left very little to the imagination. Her most notable performance was something she called the “Banana Dance” . A performer in a different field Winfrey was also quite the household name in entertainment too. So both are ground breakers in the entertainment industry.

        During one period of her life Baker began motherhood with the first of what would be 12 adopted children. She called them all her rainbow tribe and wanted the world to see that so many different races and backgrounds could live together in a peaceful environment and maintain happiness together .

Winfrey was not ever much of a sex symbol in this sense but did go through a period where she lost a very substantial amount of weight and started to look extra classy and healthy with a touch of sexiness to boot. Thus both displayed class and elegance as well that made them both seemingly embrace their role model images.

On April 17 , 1975  a few short days after what was to be her last performance celebrating 50 years since her showbiz debut in Paris , Baker passed away in her sleep due to a brain hemorrhage. While Oprah is still alive and still doing work to raise awareness on many serious epidemic issues all over the globe and continuing her legacy that she will leave behind when she finally does move on to the next life she will probably be honored and remembered just as Baker was for the difference and impact she had.

So both these women of african american descent became trailblazers and paved the road for black women and really all women in general.  The best message they both seem like they got across in their own ways was to never let anything or anyone stop you from being who you are and what you want because the only thing that can hold you back is you.

    Baker is the only woman to receive a military honors funeral as 20,000 lined the streets of Paris . Oprah has not decreased yet but when her time does come to leave this earth she will probably have a ticker tape parade and it be a celebration of her life rather than a mourning of her passing . In the spirit of Black History its important to not overlook both women who are important women of history and present time no just important to black history.