Encore Monday, March 28, 2022 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV / Not available on demand
—Discover How a Poor Black Girl From Missouri Became the “Queen of Paris”—
“Josephine Baker: The Story Of An Awakening” details the 50-year-long headline-grabbing career of Josephine Baker (1906-1975), complete with rare archived footage and photographs. After leaving America to pursue her stage career, Josephine Baker settled in France where she became a famous dancer hailed as the “Queen of Paris.” She made three trips "back home" (1936, 1948, 1951) and each time she experienced profound racism — her worldwide fame did not insulate her from suffering indignities.
Each of these gut-punch experiences triggered future life-changing decisions. Gradually the battle for civil rights became her own, so much so that in 1963 she was the only woman who spoke on stage with Martin Luther King during the famous March on Washington.
Credits:
The film was acquired by American Public Television from Terranoa for syndication to public television stations nationwide. © 2020 Kepler22 Productions / Arte France
