Everydub + ICONS
Baker was a huge star in France but American audiences refused to believe that a black woman could be so sophisticated, despite being a muse of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Chritian Dior and Pablo Picasso. She refused to entertain segregated audiences in the U.S. and by 1937 permanently relocated to France. One of her famous quotes says it all, "I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and into the houses of presidents. And much more. But I could not walk into a hotel in America and get a cup of coffee, and that made me mad." During World War II, Baker was recruited by French Military Intelligence and worked as a honorable correspondent who collected information she could about German troop locations from officials she met at parties that she would be write in invisible ink on her sheet music! She was adamant about not performing in countries that didn't support Free France or remained neutral, even if it meant giving up major billings.There are plenty of photos of Jopsephine Baker in full glamour and gowns, draped in furs and diamonds, so when I discovered these images of her tomboy side—riding horses, showing sports cars, attending Concours d'Elegance, or spying on Nazis during World War II, I was bowled over. There's just so much more to Baker, so much more than I have the capacity to relay here, but she more than squarely fits in the hall of the Tomboy Style icons. Thank you, Ellie.
Thursday, April 25, 2024