Josephine Baker’s induction into the French Pantheon

Following the decision of the French president, Josephine Baker entered the Pantheon on 30 November 2021.
Josephine Baker, a Free France heroine and anti-discrimination activist
- Read a short biography of Josephine Baker
- See images of Josephine Baker from the ECPAD collections:
- A collection of photos (slideshow at bottom of page)
"I have two loves...": a film from the archives of Josephine Baker performing to soldiers in 1939
- See a selection of digitised excerpts from the military dossier of Josephine Baker archived with the Service Historique de la Défense in Vincennes
- View the online exhibition and digitised archives of the Musée de la Résistance
- Read a comic strip created by students at the Académie de Corse that won third prize at the "Bulles de Mémoire" competition held by the ONAC-VG in 2020
Women’s engagement: a constant in contemporary conflicts
- The epic exploits of Marie-Antoinette Lix, a video from Web-série 1870 about a female French patriot who enlisted in the Franco-Prussian War.
- The emancipation of women during World War One an article by Françoise Thébaud in Les chemins de la mémoire magazine, issue 159
- The “Women and Resistance” exhibition presents the profiles of 46 women engaged in World War II, including Josephine Baker.
- Go to our page dedicated to International Women’s Day, to read about many examples of women enlisted in contemporary conflicts
Biographies of other female figures engaged in the anti-Nazi campaign

Women’s Auxiliary of the Free French Air Force.
Algiers, 1944.
© Photographer unknown / Service cinématographique de la France libre/ ECPAD / Défense / FFL 32 100-722

Josephine Baker on stage at the Théâtre le Paramount, for the ‘Gala des Ailes’.
Paris, 21 November 1944.
© Gasquet, Bouclaud / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / AIR 142 - 3138

Josephine Baker on stage at the Théâtre le Paramount, for the ‘Gala des Ailes’.
Paris, 21 November 1944.
© Gasquet, Bouclaud / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / AIR 142 - 3141

Josephine Baker signs a card to her model at a reception held in her honour at the ‘Gala des Ailes’.
Paris, 21 November 1944.
© Gasquet, Bouclaud / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / AIR 142 - 3145 bis

At the Théâtre Antoine, in Paris, for a charity gala, Josephine Baker and Jean Tranchant auction off the “golden parachutist”.
Paris, 21 December 1944.
© André Branlard / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / AIR 155 - 3279

Josephine Baker and Jo Bouillon perform to the 1st Army troops.
Alsace, March 1945.
© Claude Fromenti / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / TERRE 10246 L45

Reception at the Paris air crew store.
Paris, 19 April 1947
© Béziaud / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / F47-82 G3

Air crew gala, Salle Pleyel in Paris.
Paris, 21 April 1947.
© Weber / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / F47-83 G3

Josephine Baker performing at the 415 Hospital in Saigon.
Saigon (French Indochina), 7 May 1954
© Jean Petit / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / SC 54-64 R4

Représentation de Joséphine Baker à l’hôpital 415 de Saigon.
Saigon (Indochine), 7 mai 1954
© Jean Petit / SCA/ ECPAD / Défense / SC 54-64 R10

Représentation de Joséphine Baker à l’hôpital 415 de Saigon.
Saigon (Indochine), 7 mai 1954