Who was Josephine Baker?

[Amberal37]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the french had their own racist assumptions that would have exoticized and in some ways diminished josephine baker</div></div>

Perhaps so...she cannot be responsible for their thoughts. But she certainly was not afraid to venture to where she will, and pushed out one extra barrier.
She lived under oppressive times, we still live under oppressive times...only with wider barriers, she contributed to that, for that I will giver her her dues.

[jah_yout]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

yes she was a mzungu playting as mi fren blakkgiant would say...but at least she did it mostly on her terms

chuh!
she was not a porn star and did not rooks men for entertainment or show...she danced;
if they can't take seeing a sexy black woman strut her stuff then why they still go crazy for beyonce-
same thing

[Amberal37]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">she was not a porn star and did not rooks men for entertainment or show...she danced;
if they can't take seeing a sexy black woman strut her stuff then why they still go crazy for beyonce-
same thing</div></div>

...And same thing was at the back of my mind, altough I am not criticising Beyonce, as I think that she dances beautifully.

[Tropicana]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> It must have been stupidity that was responsible for your misunderstanding of my question</div></div>

Now you've gone too far, I did not call you stupid. I said you asked a stupid question. That is not the same thing.

Not sure what there was to misunderstand in your question. Perhaps you have been in Europe so long you have forgotten the meaning of certain basic English words.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Since you've been in Europe for so long, I figured you would have been the first person to guess this one Sukuna. </div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
funny, i dont spend my time following peoples lives and europe is huge

<span style="font-weight: bold">furthermore, who is Josephine Baker? </span></div></div>

Frankly, I think you really didn't remember who she was and when I answered your question you felt stupid and tried to turn this around on me. I don't respect that AT ALL and I will watch my back around you in future.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: blakkgiant</div><div class="ubbcode-body">wan mzungu playting wey danced practicallee naked widd banana fii mzungu. mii wanda y mzungu feel shii didd soo much fii civil rites


</div></div>

If for the rest of her life all she accomplished was jiggling, gyrating and dancing around practically naked wearing nothing but feathers around her waist or a belt made of bananas, I would agree with you. However, that is not the whole story. She evolved past that. I am less cynical than you are blackgiant and I do believe in the power of redemption and transformation. Josephine Baker grew and evolved from who she was in her late teens, an uneducated young woman dancing around half naked. I don't think that people should forever be judged by their poor judgement in their youth. I believe in looking at their total legacy. I no more dismiss Josephine Baker based on some of the things that she did as a teenager than I would dismiss Malcolm X because at one time he was a pimp and pusher. There is more to both of these lives than that and I believe we can learn and find inspiration from BOTH stories.

Moderators, please lock this down.

[mountaingal]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: amberal37</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the french had their own racist assumptions that would have exoticized and in some ways diminished josephine baker</div></div>

Perhaps so...she cannot be responsible for their thoughts. But she certainly was not afraid to venture to where she will, and pushed out one extra barrier.
<span style="font-weight: bold">She lived under oppressive times, we still live under oppressive times...only with wider barriers, she contributed to that, for that I will giver her her dues</span>.

</div></div>

i agree. her accomplishments stand. nevertheless, her path did not make her more of a trailblazer, imo, than other women entertainers who stayed in america and pushed their own boundaries in a much tougher racist environment than the one the french had.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-style: italic">Come now, her dancing was the eptiome of Africaness at the time. We should be proud she shook her moneymaker with such aplomb</span> </div></div>
Completely off-topic: Great minds think alike! I was just looking some Black Uhuru CDs on Saturday.

[rufian]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jah_yout</div><div class="ubbcode-body">yes she was a mzungu playting as mi fren blakkgiant would say...but at least she did it mostly on her terms

chuh!
she was not a porn star and did not rooks men for entertainment or show...she danced;
if they can't take seeing a sexy black woman strut her stuff then why they still go crazy for beyonce-
same thing </div></div>
I see similarities and differences to beyonce. wouldnt say it is the same thing

[Blackstar*]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

Bey is dressed...for the most part?

[Compry]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Moderators, please lock this down. </div></div>

Why Cuz? I know you started the thread but there is an active discussion happening here.

[rufian]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

so wa yu mean B have no other choice but to play an N to salsa?

[CeaBee]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

i think beyonce appeals to black men mostly. too &quot;curvy&quot;

[rufian]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Compray</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Moderators, please lock this down. </div></div>

Why Cuz? I know you started the thread but there is an active discussion happening here. </div></div>

The thread was made to educate Sukuna on who Josephine Baker was. Unfortunately it was an error, hence the request

[Seveen]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Compray</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Moderators, please lock this down. </div></div>

Why Cuz? I know you started the thread but there is an active discussion happening here. </div></div>

[mountaingal]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">Ambivalence to Enthusiasm</span>
There existed a strange distinction between the ambivalent perception of French blacks from Africa and the benevolent welcome afforded African Americans who began migrating to France during the 1920's. Arriving in France to play jazz, study art, and escape racism in the US, they found a tolerant climate allowing them unique opportunities for advancement. Some, like <span style="font-weight: bold">Josephine Baker, capitalized on exoticism to become symbols in French popular culture</span>.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Jazz Renaissance</span>
During WWI, many fundamental Western values and beliefs came into question. Artists and intellectuals began asking impossibly nihilistic questions including whether or not art, itself, was dead. Depleted beyond repair by war, France responded with appreciation and adoration for the energy and &quot;Otherness&quot; found in African American artistic innovations. They admired their frenetic dances to the accompaniment of dangerously attractive new rhythms. They applauded their authentic joy in the process of music making.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Jazz's &quot;Otherness&quot;</span>
Like exoticism, jazz inadvertently played on European notions of savagery and &quot;Otherness.&quot; The response of French people enthralled by exoticism was both naively enthusiastic and shockingly racist because of their strong association of African Americans with primitivist stereotypes.<span style="font-weight: bold"> While the French couldn't get enough of Josephine Baker, they also wanted to see her hopping around tribal style in an improvised banana skirt</span>.</div></div>

Jazz, Josephine Baker and France

[rufian]

Re: Who was Josephine Baker?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> It must have been stupidity that was responsible for your misunderstanding of my question</div></div>

Now you've gone too far, I did not call you stupid. I said you asked a stupid question. That is not the same thing.
</div></div>
I didnt call you stupid, I said stupidity was responsible.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Not sure what there was to misunderstand in your question. Perhaps you have been in Europe so long you have forgotten the meaning of certain basic English words.
</div></div>
Well if you dont want to take it that you made a mistake with one of your happy go paste then now I am calling stupid.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Frankly, I think you really didn't remember who she was and when I answered your question you felt stupid and tried to turn this around on me. I don't respect that AT ALL and I will watch my back around you in future.
</div></div>
Your thoughts dont work right obviously. I did warn you.
You watch your back extra because I am not going to take this from you either. I wonder what you know and can find out that nobody else can. I respect sensibility and if someone told me that they knew something then it is disrespectful to continue the way you do, hence you will be getting it from me.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Moderators, please lock this down. </div></div>
ehe?