Watch this trailer that introduces the great Josephine Baker.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Powell, Patricia Hruby and Christian Robinson. JOSEPHINE: THE DAZZLING LIFE OF JOSEPHINE BAKER. California: Chronicle Books LLC, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4521-0314-3.

PLOT SUMMARY

Josephine Baker was born in poverty in Saint Louis, Missouri.  Since she was young, she had a dream of dancing and performing with the likes of acrobat and magicians.  At the age of thirteen she left with a group of performers in search of her dream.  It was not easy for her to get the opportunity to perform but she was determined to keep on trying.  When she finally got the opportunity to dance and sing, like she wished for, she did not feel happy as she should.  She could not enjoy her success because after all she was still a Negro and was not immune to the segregation taking place.  Josephine was given the opportunity to travel to France where, oh things were so different!  She was welcomed and loved, no matter her skin color, and became the star she always wanted to become.  For France, Josephine helped during the war joining the Red Cross and as a spy.  Josephine later adopted twelve children.  She had to return to performing to keep up with her lavish lifestyle. She returned to America where she was well received but ended her career in Paris where she passed away. lavis

ANALYSIS

Josephine, the main character was determined to make her dreams come true even it meant leaving her home at a very young age.  In her childhood as well as in her journey to making her dream come true, she experienced the segregation that was taking place during that time. When she was a child it scared her and when she was on her pursuit of her dancing career it didn’t allow her to perform and mingle as she wished.  Because of the rejection she felt in her own country and to show her appreciation to France, who welcomed her and made her a star, she decided to help France during the war. Her experiences also lead her to adopt children from different countries to show diversity in her family. 

SETTING

The setting takes places during the early 1900s.  During that time ragtime music was primarily listened to and played by the Black community.  The story also describes a time where segregation was prevalent and unfortunately Blacks were mistreated and were not able to receive many of the same services as Whites even if they were well-known like Josephine.

LLUSTRATION ANALYSIS

The illustrations in this book were painted in acrylic on paper. There is a mixture of warm and cool colors used.  Josephine is made to stand out first by the way her eyes and face were painted.  Her face is an oblong shaped and her eyes are almond shaped compared to the round faces and eyes of other people painted which reflect the adventure-seeking person she was.  The use of long lines for her body help to represent the passionate performer she was.   

THEME

The general theme in this story is perseverance. Throughout the story we see how Josephine from a very young age, even though it was not easy one of the reasons being Black, persevered in following her dancing dream.  She did not give up easily despite not receiving the same treatment as a white performer when she finally landed a dancing and singing jig.  She was going to conquer the world no matter what she had to overcome.  

CULTURAL MARKERS

In the book there are quotation sources provided for the quotes throughout the story.  There are also other recommended readings on Josephine Baker.   The author also acknowledged how she retrieved the resources used to write this book on Josephine. 

The facts shown in the book to reflect segregation in the United States and how it was not the same overseas is something that can be corroborated.   

With the use of the word “Negro” in various instances, the author shows how the word was acceptable back then. 

The way that African-Americans look after their families is presented here.  One of Josephine’s goal was to send home money to help her family. 

CONNECTIONS

At a very young age, Josephine left her house to follow her dream of dancing.  She went through many ups and downs as she traveled to different places to achieve her dream.    Her life is presented in different time periods which can be presented with the creation of a timeline focusing on important events from each period.