Josephine Baker (part 1)

In this episode of The History Chicks, Susan and her co-host delve into the early life of Josephine Baker, setting the stage with historical context from 1906. They explore Josephine's mixed-race heritage, her parents' backgrounds in the performing arts, and her impoverished childhood in St. Louis, marked by scavenging for survival and early exposure to the entertainment world. The hosts discuss Josephine's initial forays into performance, her troubled family life, and her eventual escape into the world of vaudeville, leading up to her pivotal move to New York City and subsequent opportunity to perform in Paris. The episode details her initial struggles and eventual rise to fame in France, highlighting her groundbreaking performances and the complex cultural dynamics she navigated, ending with her established career and fame in France.