Why This American Performer Was Honored by the French Government

Josephine Baker was an American who captured the French imagination to stardom and military honors. This legendary woman made her mark on the world, through performance, heroism in war time and civil rights activism. Baker became one of the most successful performers in France, but never reached that level of fame in her home country. In 2021, Baker became the first American and the first Black woman to be honored at the Pantheon.