Dance of Resistance: The Josephine Baker Story

About this curriculum

Catherine Johnson celebrates the incredible life of Josephine Baker in this "superb autobiography" ( Guardian ), chronicling her journey from an impoverished childhood to beloved actress, dancer and wartime heroine. Dancer, singer, actress, movie star, civil-rights activist – Josephine Baker was a phenomenon! Overcoming the poverty and abuse of her childhood in a segregated America, Josephine grew up to become one of the biggest stars of the early twentieth century, particularly adored in her adopted country of France. She used her connections to help the Resistance in their fight against the Nazis during the Second World War and later became involved with Martin Luther King Jr and the civil rights movement in the US. Controversial and outspoken, she is an iconic historical figure and Catherine Johnson brings her story vividly to life for a young audience in this enthralling piece of narrative non-fiction. Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.