Josephine Baker quotes

Josephine Baker — American-born French dancer, singer and actress (1906–1975).

“I have stage contracts for the next 18 months, and I shall go on with them whatever he says.”

Her response to a reporter when asked about comments made by her third husband, French financier Jean Lion, that she was going to retire, The Chicago Defender 17 Dec 1937

“France made me what I am. I will be grateful forever. The people of Paris have given me everything. They have given me their hearts, and I have given them mine. I am ready, captain, to give them my life. You can use me as you wish.”

To the French Intelligence officer Captain Jacques Abtey, offering to become an agent of the Resistance (The Many Faces of Josephine Baker: Dancer, Singer, Activist, Spy by Peggy C

“First, I want to do what I can to help win the war and thus perform whatever duty I can for my native land. Second, I want to help those of my own race. I am doing all I can to help win the war effort and to make people generally more appreciative and kinder to my race.”

On why she was performing for Allied troops against doctor's orders, Atlanta Daily World 25 Jul 1943

“I cannot see that I did anything extraordinary to merit this honor. Everything was just as it had to be."”

On receiving the Resistence Medal for her work on behalf of France during World War II, 1949 (Josephine Baker’s Secret War by Hanna Diamond)

“I believe in action. … I believe in doing rather than talking. All my life I have maintained that the people of the world can learn to live together in peace if they are not brought up in prejudice. This is why I traveled all over the world to adopt 11 youngsters.”

"Jo Baker helps civil rights groups : Renowned star 'deeply concerned', Jet Vol. 25, No. 19 (27 February 1964), p. 60

“Surely the day will come when color means nothing more than skin tone, when religion is seen uniquely as a way to speak one’s soul; when birth places have the weight of a throw of the dice and all men are born free, when understanding breeds love and brotherhood.”

Josephine (1977), Ch. 16 of memoirs written with assistance of Jo Bouillon; also in Women's Words: The Columbia Book of Quotations by Women (1996) edited by Mary Biggs, p. 146

Sourced quotations from Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0.