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Josephine Baker's Secret War

Josephine Baker's Secret War The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom

Hardback (08 Apr 2025)

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Publisher's Synopsis

The full story of Josephine Baker's wartime and intelligence work in France and North Africa

Before the Second World War, Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was one of the most famous performers in the world. She made her name dancing on the Parisian stage, but when war broke out she decided not to return to America. Instead, Baker turned spy for the French Secret Services.

In this engaging, deeply researched study, Hanna Diamond tells the full story of Baker's actions for the French and Allied powers in World War Two. Drawing on previously unseen material, Diamond reveals the vital role Baker played throughout the war, from counterintelligence work for the Allied landings in North Africa to serving in the French Air Force in 1944-45. A woman of colour operating in a white male environment, Baker exploited her celebrity to enable her war work across France, Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East.

This groundbreaking account is the first to reveal the full significance of Baker's wartime contribution.

About the Publisher

Yale University Press

By publishing serious works that contribute to a global understanding of human affairs, Yale University Press aids in the discovery and dissemination of light and truth, lux et veritas, which is a central purpose of Yale University. The publications of the Press are books and other materials that further scholarly investigation, advance interdisciplinary inquiry, stimulate public debate, educate both within and outside the classroom, and enhance cultural life. In its commitment to increasing the range and vigor of intellectual pursuits within the university and elsewhere, Yale University Press continually extends its horizons to embody university publishing at its best.

Book information

ISBN: 9780300279986
Publisher: Yale University Press
Imprint: Yale University Press
Pub date:
DEWEY: 940.548644092
DEWEY edition: 23
Language: English
Number of pages: 352
Weight: -1g
Height: 235mm
Width: 152mm