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The Josephine Baker Story. Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine Carson
in St. ... In 1991, HBO released The Josephine Baker Story. ...
... Josephine Baker has continued to intrigue and inspire people throughout
the world. In 1991, HBO released The Josephine Baker Story. ...
... Other people such as Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and "Dizzie"
Gillespie have also made many contributions to ... Each composition had a story. ...
... on Eddy Street with his first wife Josephine Dolan. ... to Al Capone's hometown of Chicago
(Baker & Nietzel ... ammonia" informs the reader that the story's setting is ...
... on Eddy Street with his first wife Josephine Dolan. ... to Al Capone's hometown of Chicago
(Baker & Nietzel ... ammonia" informs the reader that the story's setting is ...
Submitted by honeybiscuit on March 12, 2005
Category: Biographies
Words: 1191 | Pages: 5
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Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine Carson in St. Louis, Missouri, on June
3, 1906 to washerwoman, Carrie McDonald, and vaudeville drummer, Eddie Carson.
Josephine's father abandoned them shortly after her birth and her mother married a kind
but perpetually unemployed man named Arthur Martin. Their family came to include a
son and two more daughters. Josephine grew up cleaning houses and babysitting for
wealthy white families until she got a job waitressing at The Old Chauffeur's Club when
she was 13-years-old. While working there she met a man named Willie Wells whom
she had a short marriage with. Josephine never depended on a man for financial support
and she never hesitated to leave when a relationship hit its breaking point. Which is why
she was married and divorced three more times to an American named Willie Baker in
1921 (whose last name she chose to keep), a Frenchman ,Jean Lion, in 1937 (from whom
she attained French citizenship) and a French orchestra leader, Jo Bouillon, in 1947.
Josephine toured the United States with The Jones Family Band and The Dixie Steppers
in 1919, performing various comical skits. When the troupes split, she tried to advance
as a chorus girl for The Dixie Steppers in their production "Shuffle Along". She was turned
away because she was "too skinny and too dark." Still determined as ever, she learned
the chorus line's routines while working as part of the crew. Therefore, Josephine was
the obvious replacement when one of the dancers left. Onstage she rolled her eyes and
purposely acted
clumsy. The audience loved her comedic touch and Josephine was a box office hit for the rest of the show's run. Josephine traveled to Paris for a new show that proved to be a turning point in her career. Josephine and dance partner Joe Alex captivated the audience with a routine that was...
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