Introduction
Josephine is a biography for young adults about Josephine Baker, an African-American actress and singer who came to renown in 1920s France. Josephine Baker is regarded as a notable African-American lady who demonstrated to the nation that she was a civil rights champion, a French spy during World War II, and an adoptive mother to disadvantaged children worldwide.
Patricia Hruby opted to write about the life of Josephine Baker because she found her journey more compelling and intriguing. The book is a nicely written and brilliantly drawn biography of Baker’s journey, from her infancy while living in poverty in St. Louis through her rise to fame in Europe and subsequent work as a civil rights fighter. Baker is an inspirational African-American woman who not only broke gender and color barriers in the entertainment sector but also participated in the French Resistance and Civil Rights Movement during World War II.
Summary
The primary goal of Patricia Hruby’s book, Josephine, was to help readers understand Baker’s contribution to the struggle for civil rights rather than to clarify any technical terms. She would not entertain or sing in segregated settings because she felt everyone deserved equality. Baker was a civil rights fighter who fought for justice and equality. Josephine is mainly intended for young adults and teenagers ages 8 to 12 who are intrigued by histories and biographies, although anybody can appreciate the book (Kasey, 2023).
With her book Josephine, author Patricia Hruby Powell received the Sibert Award for Nonfiction, a Coretta Scott King Honor. The King Prize aims to recognize and celebrate outstanding children’s and young adult literature written by African American authors and illustrators. Furthermore, Josephine was recognized as a merit book for the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. The Sibert Prize is given to the best nonfiction books for children in each category.
The major purpose of the book is to captivate and inspire readers with a story about a significant historical character. According to reader feedback and critical reviews, the book seems to have accomplished this objective excellently. The story Josephine has been commended for its depiction of Baker’s life and accomplishments, as well as its examination of the political and social challenges of the day. The work has been praised for its incorporation of poetry, narrative, and drawings to create a multifaceted portrayal of Baker and her society.
Josephine is mostly written in an informal tone, making it approachable and interesting to many audiences. The language used is conversational and straightforward, with the occasional usage of colloquial terms and contractions. “I didn’t have any stockings… To keep warm, I danced (Powell, 2014). Nonetheless, the author also utilizes a poetic character in the text, which enhances the story’s depth and beauty:
She flung her arms/she flung her legs.
Like she flung her heart and her soul/’Cause DANCIN’makes you HAPPY
when nothing else will (Tully, 2020).
This writing inspires excitement and wonder, allowing audiences to comprehend why Baker was such a phenomenon during her time.
The author’s writing is coherent and clear, and it does an excellent job of telling Josephine Baker’s tale sequentially and structured. The author gives just enough background information to put the historical events in their proper historical context, and the narrative progresses seamlessly from one incident to the next. In addition, the author shows originality in the way she tells Josephine’s story. Instead of writing a conventional biography, she combines poetry and drawings to paint a multifaceted picture of Josephine Baker’s lifetime. Josephine has a clear, developed, fluid writing style that makes reading a pleasurable and educational experience.
Relevance
The book is a combination of a historical biography and a piece of narrative poetry. The African-American dancer and singer Josephine Baker served as a symbol of the elegance and vibrancy of Black American culture (Kasey, 2023). The author describes Josephine Baker’s biography in poetry, covering her years of impoverishment as a child and how she rose to popularity in America and Europe.
Furthermore, Baker’s efforts as a civil rights fighter and her later years as a humanitarian are also described by the author. Baker saw herself more as a facilitator and not a leader, and she had faith in the ability of the average person to take care of herself. Her life was first influenced by political involvement in Harlem during the Great Depression.
The book is remarkable for the way it tells the story of Josephine Baker because it combines aspects of poetry and life story to generate a colourful and fascinating picture of this influential person. Such an approach makes the book one of a kind, as it is a convincing and approachable method of bringing history to life.
It provides a great example of how inventive non-fiction may accomplish this. Josephine is a book anyone interested in the character Josephine Baker or the historical background of the 20th century should read. This is due to the fact that the book sheds light on the injustices and racial and social inequalities inflicted upon the marginalized communities of people of African-American descent.
Reaction
The book influenced my perception of women’s role in campaigning for the rights of underprivileged. Previous perceptions I had regarding Baker as a self-motivated and complex person were reinforced after reading the book. She is portrayed to be bold, confident, and driven in following her ambitions, but also overcoming hurdles and failures along the way. Baker’s character is depicted in a positive and powerful manner, stressing her strength and tenacity.
The book corresponds to my own personal convictions that change is only possible through effort and self-motivation. Baker is symbolic of transition since she was a pioneer in the music industry, unraveling boundaries and opening doors for subsequent generations of African-American entertainers. She was also a passionate supporter of civil rights and social justice, utilizing her position to draw attention to significant problems and urge for change. It is conceivable to draw comparisons between Josephine Baker’s experiences and those of mine when I tried to enter a public hotel but was denied due to my race. This is comparable to what happened to Baker, who was often barred from entering public venues like hotels and restaurants.
Conclusion
Overall, the book Josephine is a historical biography that recounts the life of Josephine Baker, a singer and dancer who rose to prominence in the 20th century as a result of her efforts to secure equal rights for people of color. Josephine Baker is a role model for women everywhere since she was a fighter for civil rights and overcame barriers for women in the entertainment industry during World War II. Baker utilized her fame to fight against segregation, inspire other women to actively participate in World War II, and rise to the ranks of Europe’s highest-paid performers. Baker’s role highlights the significance of self-motivation, resiliency, and the implications of imposing certain changes on society.
References
Kasey. (2023). Review: Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell. The Story Sanctuary. Web.
Powell, P. H. (2014). Josephine: the dazzling life of Josephine Baker. Chronicle Books.
Tully, M. (2020). Josephine – Read aloud [Video]. YouTube. Web.