1906 - Entertainer Josephine Baker born

Born on June 3, 1906, in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker would rise from poverty to become one of the most dazzling performers of the 20th century and a courageous civil rights activist. After facing intense racism in the U.S., she moved to France in the 1920s, where she achieved international fame. During World War II, she worked with the French Resistance, using her celebrity status to smuggle messages and aid the Allied cause. Baker later returned to the U.S. during the civil rights era, refusing to perform for segregated audiences and speaking alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963. She adopted 12 children from different ethnic backgrounds, calling them her “Rainbow Tribe” to demonstrate racial harmony. June 3 is a moment to honor the birth of a global symbol of Black resilience, artistic brilliance, and unshakable defiance against injustice.