Josephine Baker: The Most Dangerous Woman in Paris

In the 1920s, she scandalized Europe in a banana skirt and became the most famous entertainer in the world. But when war came, Josephine Baker traded applause for espionage—smuggling secrets for the French Resistance, hiding messages in sheet music, and risking execution by the Nazis In today's episode, Host Ben Thompson is joined by historian Taylor Cassidy to break down the astonishing life of a woman who refused to be boxed in - by racism, by borders, or by history itself. From the stages of Paris to the front lines of World War II and the steps of the March on Washington, this is the story of a performer who turned celebrity into a weapon. Feathers. Freedom. Fire. This is Josephine Baker at full volume. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices