03/06/1906, St.Louis, Missouri, USA - 12/04/1975, Paris, France
American-born French entertainer, singer, activist and French Resistance agent. During her early career she was renowned as a dancer, and was among the most celebrated performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère in Paris. After a while, Baker was the most successful American entertainer working in France. Ernest Hemingway called her "the most sensational woman anyone ever saw." Baker refused to perform for segregated audiences in the United States and is noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. She was also known for aiding the French Resistance during World War II. After the war, she was awarded the Croix de guerre by the French military, and was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by General Charles de Gaulle.
