Josephine Baker was a world wide sensation during the 1920s; however, every star must start somewhere. Baker's upbringing in East St. Louis taught her that if she wanted to make it big, she had to give people what they wanted to see. She had to find out how to market herself in order to gain attention and she did exactly that. Starting out as a street performer, Baker knew that entertainment was her passion. She used comedy to draw attention and use stereotypes that people had of the Black community to entertain her predominantly White audiences, often portraying herself as a "pickaninny" (Lecture 8/25). However, she soon realized that her performances in the United States were limited to comedy and ugliness and she wanted something more out of her career. If she wanted to change people's perception of her, she needed to first change her audience. Baker moved to France in order to gain more attention because the people of France had a different mindset and a different set of discourses and racism. Her performances embraced French discourses regarding Africans and used these to introduce herself as an exotic, sensual figure (Section 9/4).
While Baker had a huge fan following, she also had many critics. If W.E.B. Dubois had anything to say of Baker, I'm sure he would not be in favor of her portrayal of herself as primitive and erotic. Dubois believed that the Black community had an image to uphold and that they must represent the race in a positive light that alters the previously established views on Black people (Lecture 8/19). Baker's performances in France were "based in the discourses of French colonial encounters in Southeast Asian and North Africa. She was the embodiment of the importation of the exotic products to the metropole and subsequent narratives of contact in popular romantic fiction" (Translocations 252). She embraced this image of the primitive colonial subject and added sexual appeal to lure in her audience. Dubois would be disappointed in her willingness to stoop to this level because she was making no effort to propel her race's image. She was simply looking to propel her own success forward and make a bigger name for herself. Baker did change people's perception of the Black body, however she only did so by embracing colonial ideas that were rooted in White supremacy thereby slowing down, if not reversing the progress that the Black community had made in trying to show that they were equal.
Although Baker had embraced French discourses in her performances, she did still manage to make a name for herself in a time where Black people, especially Black women, did not have much of a voice. Her career did adapt to the needs of her audience and her procession from a street dancer to an international super star affected a wide audience. If Alain Locke were to assess her work, he would use his ideas of art and propaganda to define her work. Locke would say that her performances started as artistic expression which was more visual and elicited an emotional response from her audience and ultimately transformed into propaganda which was more psychological and carried a message for her audience. It became propaganda because of her intention to utilize crowd beliefs and conform to stereotypes (Section 9/4). After gaining fame and fortune she used her wealth as propaganda to convey the message that Black people can be successful. An example of this is the pet leopard that she owned. No average person owns such a pet. It is a symbol of her wealth and success that she earned for herself.
Yes, Baker embraced stereotypes but she did so as a marketing strategy. She knew that it was necessary for her to enter modernism as a primitive because she had to gain fame by restricting herself to the French ideals before she could transform into a modern influence and still be accepted by the community. If she entered France directly as a broadway singer, she would most likely be ignored. Through her risque performances she drew attention and had her audience sit back and watch her as she transformed into an elegant dancer, singer, actress, and later a spy when she joined the resistance during World War II (Chasing Rainbows). Her support of France during World War II exemplified the hypocrisy that tainted her career. She supported a country that exploited the nations where African Americans originated from and she herself travelled to these nations. Also during this time, she performed for US and French troops in the Liberty club which, contrary to its name, was segregated. Through her performance she demonstrated that she was still in touch with her roots however her loyalty remained with France (Translocations 260). Ultimately, Bakers advocacy for France though her entertainment made her infamous during World War II.
Given Baker's upbringing in East St. Louis, she did not have many other options as far as career paths go. She did not want to end up like her mother who had to give up her dreams of becoming a music hall dancer and became a washerwoman (Chasing Rainbows). Instead, she took agency of her life and travelled away from a country where she knew her career was limited and broadened her horizon. Baker set an example for women all over the world by showing them that a little street dancer from East St. Louis could eventually become an international sensation by simply taking matters into her own hands and adapting to the situations that she was in.
While Baker had a huge fan following, she also had many critics. If W.E.B. Dubois had anything to say of Baker, I'm sure he would not be in favor of her portrayal of herself as primitive and erotic. Dubois believed that the Black community had an image to uphold and that they must represent the race in a positive light that alters the previously established views on Black people (Lecture 8/19). Baker's performances in France were "based in the discourses of French colonial encounters in Southeast Asian and North Africa. She was the embodiment of the importation of the exotic products to the metropole and subsequent narratives of contact in popular romantic fiction" (Translocations 252). She embraced this image of the primitive colonial subject and added sexual appeal to lure in her audience. Dubois would be disappointed in her willingness to stoop to this level because she was making no effort to propel her race's image. She was simply looking to propel her own success forward and make a bigger name for herself. Baker did change people's perception of the Black body, however she only did so by embracing colonial ideas that were rooted in White supremacy thereby slowing down, if not reversing the progress that the Black community had made in trying to show that they were equal.
Although Baker had embraced French discourses in her performances, she did still manage to make a name for herself in a time where Black people, especially Black women, did not have much of a voice. Her career did adapt to the needs of her audience and her procession from a street dancer to an international super star affected a wide audience. If Alain Locke were to assess her work, he would use his ideas of art and propaganda to define her work. Locke would say that her performances started as artistic expression which was more visual and elicited an emotional response from her audience and ultimately transformed into propaganda which was more psychological and carried a message for her audience. It became propaganda because of her intention to utilize crowd beliefs and conform to stereotypes (Section 9/4). After gaining fame and fortune she used her wealth as propaganda to convey the message that Black people can be successful. An example of this is the pet leopard that she owned. No average person owns such a pet. It is a symbol of her wealth and success that she earned for herself.
Yes, Baker embraced stereotypes but she did so as a marketing strategy. She knew that it was necessary for her to enter modernism as a primitive because she had to gain fame by restricting herself to the French ideals before she could transform into a modern influence and still be accepted by the community. If she entered France directly as a broadway singer, she would most likely be ignored. Through her risque performances she drew attention and had her audience sit back and watch her as she transformed into an elegant dancer, singer, actress, and later a spy when she joined the resistance during World War II (Chasing Rainbows). Her support of France during World War II exemplified the hypocrisy that tainted her career. She supported a country that exploited the nations where African Americans originated from and she herself travelled to these nations. Also during this time, she performed for US and French troops in the Liberty club which, contrary to its name, was segregated. Through her performance she demonstrated that she was still in touch with her roots however her loyalty remained with France (Translocations 260). Ultimately, Bakers advocacy for France though her entertainment made her infamous during World War II.
Given Baker's upbringing in East St. Louis, she did not have many other options as far as career paths go. She did not want to end up like her mother who had to give up her dreams of becoming a music hall dancer and became a washerwoman (Chasing Rainbows). Instead, she took agency of her life and travelled away from a country where she knew her career was limited and broadened her horizon. Baker set an example for women all over the world by showing them that a little street dancer from East St. Louis could eventually become an international sensation by simply taking matters into her own hands and adapting to the situations that she was in.
