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Born in Paris, Josephine Baker was a hit in Paris, with her finger waves, athleticism, and iconic banana skirt. She performed at Moulin Rouge in Montmartre in the 1950s to much fanfare.

What some don’t know is that in 1926, Baker founded her own cabaret, Chez Josephine, about a block from Moulin Rouge. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to visit it now, as it closed down many years ago.

Baker wasn’t just a performer; she was an anti-Nazi spy and philanthropist. She had a “Rainbow Tribe” of 12 adopted children of different ethnic backgrounds.

In 2021, Baker became the first Black woman and the first American to be inducted into the Panthéon. There is no higher honor in France, but her body remains in Monaco at her family’s request.

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