The Josephine Baker Critical Reader - by Mae G Henderson & Charlene B Regester (Paperback)

About the Book

Star of stage and screen, cultural ambassador, civil rights and political activist--Josephine Baker was defined by the various public roles that made her 50-year career an exemplar of postmodern identity. Her legacy continues to influence modern culture more than 40 years after her death. This new collection of essays interprets Baker's life in the context of modernism, feminism, race, gender and sexuality. The contributors focus on various aspects of her life and career, including her performances and public reception, civil rights efforts, the architecture of her unbuilt house, and her modern-day "afterlife."

Book Synopsis

Star of stage and screen, cultural ambassador, civil rights and political activist--Josephine Baker was defined by the various public roles that made her 50-year career an exemplar of postmodern identity. Her legacy continues to influence modern culture more than 40 years after her death. This new collection of essays interprets Baker's life in the context of modernism, feminism, race, gender and sexuality. The contributors focus on various aspects of her life and career, including her performances and public reception, civil rights efforts, the architecture of her unbuilt house, and her modern-day "afterlife."

Review Quotes

"collection contains 18 historical and critical essays on entertainer and activist Josephine Baker's life, career, and impact in the context of modernism, feminism, race, gender, and sexuality"-ProtoView.

About the Author

Mae G. Henderson is a professor emerita of English and comparative literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the author of innumerable articles, essays and books on African American and feminist literary criticism and theory, pedagogy, theatre, popular culture, travel, Afro-diaspora, and black cultural studies. Charlene B. Regester is an associate professor in the Department of African & African American Studies and affiliate faculty with the global cinema minor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.