Josephine Baker: Remembering an Entertainer and WW2 Hero

Josephine Baker was an important, yet unexpected hero of the World War 2 era. During this time, so many fought and so many sacrificed. This is why they are called the greatest generation. Baker was remarkable because she stepped up when she didn’t have to. She was a celebrity entertainer who used her fame to battle fascism when she could have hid in luxury.

Born in St. Louis in 1906, Josephine experienced racism and poverty which influenced the direction she would take. At the age of 19, she took off for the dance halls of Paris where she became a song and dance sensation of the Jazz age. Ultimately, she became Europe’s biggest entertainer with roles in film alongside her stage career.

Arguably her most important role, however, was that of WW2 spy. Remarkably, while most spies were recruited for their ability to go undetected, Baker was selected for the opposite reason. Her charm and star-power, allowed her to seduce Axis secrets from diplomats at embassy parties. The information she supplied was crucial to Allied war efforts. Read more about Josephine Baker and her heroic double life here.

Josephine Baker was certainly a great representation of why they are called the greatest generation. We honor and celebrate all who worked to fight Nazism and preserve freedom around the globe. Take a look at our petition to improve the lives of those heroes who are still with us. For more like this, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.