I have mentioned Josephine Baker on several occasions in the Chatea Lalinde blog -- as have others, such as Suzanna Clarke, Arts Editor of the Courier Mail, Australian, in her article about the Dordogne and Chateau Lalinde.
How can one NOT mention this remarkable woman when you talk about the Dordogne Valley and its heritage! Josephine Baker left such deep footprints in the banks of the Dordogne River, with her beautiful home, Les Milandes, her exceptional contribution to the Resistance during WWII, her family of 'Rainbow children' - adopted from many different regions and backgrounds, and her outstanding success as an artist, adored by the French nation.
But the latest reason for Josephine Baker to be back in the news, has nothing to do with any of these things. The reson she is back in the news - yet again! - is because of the now very famous skirt of bananas that she wore - or, that was ALL she wore, and so outraged and/or delighted Paris back in the Twenties!
Agence France Presse reports in New York that the American postal services had difficulty in accepting postcards depicting Josephine Baker in her banana skirt, feathers and bare breasts for mailing!
Apparently Jean-Claude Baker, the thirteenth adopted child in the Rainbow of Josephine's family, owns a restaurant in New York, "Chez Joséphine", and had decided to use the picture of his mother a la banana skirt, feathers and bare breasts, for his publicity mailing. However, when he arrived at the post office to mail the 15 000 postcards, the Post Office worker was mortified. "That will not do at all, sir! I cannot accept these card for mailing. It is explicit pornographic material!", exclaimed the worker.
Jean-Claude took his 15 000 cards to the printer and asked that he covers the offending breast by 'painting' in a scarf. But once again, the cards were refused. The Post Office worker managed to see -- it is not reported whether this was with or without a magnifying glass -- the tip of one breast peeping through the scarf.
The scarf was enlarged, and Josephine managed to slip into the post box.
This time an advocate for civil liberty at the NYCLU got wind of the incident and stepped in. "It was a misunderstanding!" protested the spokeman for the USA Postal Services, Pat McGovern. "The postal workers have no right to make a decision like that!"
So, six months later, Jean-Claude Baker, son of Josephine Baker, gets his sweet revenge. Last Tuesday he sent off another batch of postcards of his mother - uncensured in her banana skirt, feathers -- and bare breasts -- and this time he held a massive press meeting in front of the post office before mailing his postcards.
"It is a small tear in the river of liberty........And it is all done in the spirit of Joséphine, my darling mama. She was a fighter and she loved freedom!" proclaimed Jean-Claude in true Bakerish style!
Jean-Claude Baker is the 13th of Joséphine's twelve adopted children --- as a young adolescent, he was porter in a hotel where Joséphine stayed in Paris, until she took him under her wing.
Click on Link:
Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event
