Josephine Baker, later known as ‘Bronze Venus’, ‘Black Pearl’ and ‘Créole Goddess’ was born in America in 1906 and later moved to France to become a singer, dancer, and actress. She was the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture, and became famous worldwide.
Though she grew up as a maid in wealthy white households she eventually became an exotic dancer in France, famously appearing in next to no clothing, and became a French citizen in 1937.
Ernest Hemingway referred to Baker as ‘the most sensational woman anyone ever saw’ and she received approximately 1500 marriage proposals in her life time. She became a muse for Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, and Christian Dior. She had a variety of exotic pets including a cheetah named Chiquita, a chimpanzee named Ethel, a pig named Albert, a snake named Kiki, a goat, a parrot, parakeets, fish, three cats, and seven dogs.
When WWII broke out, Baker became a volunteer spy for France, and assisted the French Resistance by smuggling messages written in invisible ink on sheet music. She made great efforts to aid those in danger of enemy attack, sent Christmas presents to French soldiers, and smuggled information she gathered in Spain back to France by pinning notes containing the information on the inside of her underwear. She was awarded the Medal of Resistance with Rosette and later named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.
Baker also aided many civil rights movements by refusing to perform to segregated audiences and storming out of a club in Manhattan with actress Grace Kelly after she was refused service. She worked with the NAACP and spoke at a Washington march alongside Martin Luther King Jr. as the only official female speaker. Baker was actually asked by Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow to take his place as leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, but Baker declined on the grounds her twelve adopted children ‘were too young to lose their mother’.
Baker died in 1975, four days after her final show, attended by such names as Mick Jagger, Shirley Bassey, and Liza Minnelli.
Oh and she was queer and had a relationship with Frida Kahlo. All around badass.
I’d like a movie about her life too, please.
There’s several movies out about Josephine Baker.
So after seeing Beauty and the Beast 3D, can I just take a moment to discuss the un-tapped potential of post-movie ending shenanigans.
Prince Adam will be the most adorable obnoxious prince ever (also he is so handsome and dreamy UNPOPULAR OPINION WHATEVER I was swooning, do you not see that barrel chest and aquiline nose and OMG TOOTHY GRIN uuuuugh hot hot hot). I mean, he spent his developing life as a chimera beast. He had a hearty roar! HIS TEMPER WAS TERRIBLE. His eating habits took effort! He could jump banisters! Shit just doesn’t go away when he’s human, god damn. For the most part he’ll be doing his best to act like a proper gentleman but when he’s excited he’ll run up the stairs on all fours and when he’s in a mood (which let’s be honest will be 99.99999% of the time I mean we all saw the same movie right) he’ll have horrible posture and pouting and growling with great gusto. Even if he technically can’t do that anymore.
Also whoever is of the opinion that Belle gave up her life to be married (i.e. her dreams of travel, adventure, and seeing more!!!) can just go jump off something humongous because, uh, hello she married a prince who gave her an entire library wing as a starter. This is the woman that saved his life and that he adores beyond belief!!! THEY WILL GO TRAVELLING EVERYWHERE. omg can you imagine the tourism antics. They visit Italy! Belle is beside herself at the BEAUTY EVERYWHERE OMG and Adam meanwhile is trying not to get into the third fight that day.
Also did you see how they kissed
THEY ARE ALL OVER EACH OTHER LOOK AT HOW THEY HAVE BEEN WANTING TO LUST OVER EACH OTHER THIS ENTIRE MOVIE but all the furry crap made it all awkward and now they’re like, HOT DAMN LET’S DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
They will be loud as hell and Chip will be asking very awkward questions as to why they are always fighting in their room.
brb drawing fanart
anyone else jumping on this fanart wagon because it can’t just be me
the Prince acting like an ill-mannered animal still learning how to use forks YES
#this is what i need #beauty and the beast #SHAKING HIMSELF DRY FROM THE RAIN AND THEN ROLLING AROUND IN THE CARPET #GROWLING AT STRANGERS #SNIFFING EVERYTHING #Belle has to calm him down by stroking his ears
Things I never thought about before but need more than air.
Game of Thrones 90s era by Mike Wrobel
Fun photo of Sean Astin from Ring*Con 2012.
The girlfriend experience
> Any man who has ever had a girlfriend can attest to this.
> This is just too good. Animation, adorableness, substance. I really hope there are more of these.
It’s too adorable not to reblog again.
Whaaaa, I don’t really see a source…So Just in case
Animation by Lindsay Small and Alex Butera man, c’mon.
740ct opal butte crystal with Contra luz color plays. This gem has all faceted faces and contains some amazing matrix inclusions. The mix of of facets, color plays, and minerals creates an almost mystical or “underwater” like scene within.
end me
Don’t you ever just want to like… live INSIDE an opal??
