Joséphine Baker and the Minstrel Shows

Racism was rampant in the early 20th century, and the theaters were no exception. I had heard of "black-face" and minstrel shows before, but I never realized just how horrible they really were. The fact that minstrel shows went on for so long as a form of entertainment is just stunning, and according to the documentary Blacks and Vaudeville, even when African Americans were finally accepted in the theater, they were still portrayed as stereotypes and could really do nothing about it. Not only did they appear discriminated in the shows themselves, but the posters portrayed them in the worst stereotypical ways known for the time, and some of the names of the songs and shows were just awful. I cannot wrap my head around the fact they even managed to make the stage seem racist at one point in time, just because an African American band happened to be performing. While racism may still exist today, at least it does not seem as socially acceptable as it did in the past.

As for the story of Josephine Baker, it really is a pity to know just how discriminatory America can be. It's shameful to know that such a beautiful performer could be shunned simply because of the color of her skin. I'm glad to know that while it may have been full of hardship to have to actually leave the home you hold dear just to live out your dream, there were people who really did appreciate her for what she did when she went to Europe. With so much potential and talent, she really was a superstar, and deserved so much more.