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Josephine Baker wasn’t just a dancer she was a global icon. Born in 1906 in St. Louis, she faced racism and poverty but didn't let that stop her. She wasn’t just about entertainment—she fought against racial injustice, worked as a spy during WWII,

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“Danse Sauvage This was the performance that made Baker a star. Dancing in a skirt made of bananas, she captivated audiences in Paris and changed the game for Black performers worldwide.

“ZouZou” – One of the first major films starring a Black woman, proving she was more than just a dancer—she could act, too.

Her World War II Work – Not a traditional “work,” but just as important. As a spy for the French Resistance, she smuggled messages in her sheet music and helped fight the Nazis.

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She redefined what it meant to be a Black entertainer. She took control of her own image and refused to perform for segregated audiences in the U.S. Her style was a mix of jazz, cabaret, and African influences, and her performances were full of energy and freedom

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She proved that a Black woman could be an international superstar, She was a major voice in the civil rights movement, even speaking at the 1963 March on Washington alongside MLK. Today, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Janelle Monáe are inspired by her style and activism. In 2021, she became the first Black woman inducted into the Panthéon in France, one of the country’s highest honors.