Monday, August 23, 2021

Because the French (collectively) are honoring Josephine Baker

There's suddenly a new interest in her, who was variously nicknamed the Black Venus, the Black Pearl, the Bronze Venus or the Creole Goddess.  It comes with the recent opening of a movie about her titled "The Josephine Baker Story. "

In addition to her career as a singer, dancer and "vedette" meaning "star" it could be said that she was also a collector of children.

She called the 12 children - two daughters to whom she had given birth and 10 adopted sons - The Rainbow Tribe - and to mention a few; they were variously from Belgium, Finland, Japan, Venezuela and France.

At age 68 she died of a massive stroke in Paris' Salpetriere Hospital.  If  that name sounds familiar for some reason; Princess Diana died there, too.  If I were a celebrity, I think I'd stay the hell away from it.  Just a word of caution.


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