Josephine Baker: Diva and WWII spy!

Summary

Forever Ago: Josephine Baker – Diva and WWII Spy!

Introduction to the Mission Timestamp: [03:19]

In the latest episode of Forever Ago, host Joy Dolo is joined by Obasi from Oregon City, Oregon. The duo embarks on a mission to uncover the intriguing and lesser-known aspects of Josephine Baker's life. Assigned by their supervisor, Hannah Diamond, their task is to sift through historical details to reveal surprising facets of Baker’s legacy beyond her flamboyant performances.

Josephine Baker’s Early Life and Struggles Timestamp: [06:32]

Josephine Baker was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1906. Growing up in a deeply segregated United States, Baker faced intense racism and economic hardships. Obasi highlights, "Black people in the United States faced intense racism. Laws were made and enforced by white people," emphasizing the systemic challenges Baker endured (07:01). Despite these adversities, Baker discovered her passion for dancing, performing on the streets of St. Louis by the age of 13. Joy Dolo comments, "By the time she was 13, she was performing for people on the streets of St. Louis. Wow. I’ve never seen moves like that" (07:36).

Rise to Fame in New York Timestamp: [07:49]

In 1923, Baker moved to New York City to pursue her dancing career. This move coincided with the surge in popularity of the Charleston, a dance that captivated audiences across America. Baker's innovative take on the Charleston—characterized by her "limbs shot out every which way, and she made silly faces" (08:10)—quickly set her apart, leading to performances on prestigious stages, including Broadway. However, segregation laws still imposed limitations, with some theaters enforcing separate viewing areas for Black and white audiences (08:20).

Transition to Paris and European Acceptance Timestamp: [09:19]

Baker's big break came when a talent scout from France invited her to perform in Paris. Moving to Europe proved to be a transformative decision. Obasi notes, "From the moment she stepped off the boat in France, she knew things were different. Bonjour, mademoiselle" (09:40). In Paris, Baker was treated with respect and admiration, a stark contrast to her experiences in the United States. Her performances in Europe were met with enthusiasm, leading to sold-out shows and lavish gifts from adoring fans, including a live cheetah named Chiquita (10:07).

Josephine Baker as a Spy During World War II Timestamp: [19:22]

A pivotal revelation in the episode uncovers Josephine Baker's role as a spy during World War II. Utilizing her celebrity status as a cover, Baker infiltrated high-profile gatherings, including embassies and exclusive events. Obasi articulates the ingenious nature of her espionage work: "Josephine had this perfect cover. She was a huge celebrity, so no one suspected her. She could hide in plain sight" (22:35). Her handler, Jacques Abtet, posed as her manager, allowing Baker to gather and transmit critical information to the French resistance. To conceal her intelligence activities, she often wrote messages in invisible ink or hid them within her clothing, famously asserting, "no one would ever dare to search Josephine Baker" (23:05).

Impact and Legacy Timestamp: [25:12]

Baker's contributions extended beyond her espionage duties. After the war, she returned to the United States and became an outspoken advocate for civil rights. Her participation in the 1963 March on Washington, where she delivered a powerful speech alongside Martin Luther King Jr., underscored her lifelong commitment to equality. Obasi reflects, "She never stopped being a champion of equal rights in France and in the United States" (27:03), highlighting the enduring impact of her activism.

Conclusion Timestamp: [27:09]

The episode concludes with Joy Dolo and Obasi summarizing their findings, celebrating Josephine Baker's multifaceted legacy as both an iconic entertainer and a courageous spy. Their research not only sheds light on Baker's significant contributions during World War II but also her unwavering dedication to fighting for equality and justice.

Notable Quotes:

• Obasi on segregation: "Black people in the United States faced intense racism. Laws were made and enforced by white people." ([07:01])

• Joy Dolo on early performances: "By the time she was 13, she was performing for people on the streets of St. Louis. Wow. I’ve never seen moves like that." ([07:36])

• Obasi on Baker's espionage: "Josephine had this perfect cover. She was a huge celebrity, so no one suspected her. She could hide in plain sight." ([22:35])

• Obasi on civil rights advocacy: "She never stopped being a champion of equal rights in France and in the United States." ([27:03])

Final Thoughts This episode of Forever Ago masterfully blends historical facts with an engaging narrative, uncovering the lesser-known story of Josephine Baker's bravery and intelligence during a tumultuous period in history. It serves as a testament to Baker's enduring legacy as a performer and a patriot, inspiring listeners to appreciate the depth and complexity of historical figures often celebrated only for their public personas.

Transcript

[Joy Dolo]

Hi friends. If you love brains on universe, you'll love the latest season of Million Bazillion Marketplaces award winning kids podcast about money. Hosts Ryan and Bridget answer the funny, tricky and just really good questions from kid listeners to help dollars make more sense. Million Bazillion is presented in partnership with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for kids and teens. With Greenlight, kids and teens learn to earn, save, spend wisely and invest. Learn all about [e-mail] million and tune in to Million Bazillion wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Do you want to spend another summer stuck at home?

[Obasi]

Hey, Jim, how's your back?

[Hannah Diamond]

Oh, you know.

[Obasi]

I hear ya. Leave the small talk behind because Disney.

[Joy Dolo]

And Pixar invite you on an out of this world adventure. Engaging Hyperspeed.

[Obasi]

This is awesome.

[Joy Dolo]

On June 20th. Welcome to the Communityverse. Prepare to be conquered.

[Obasi]

But I just got here. Follow me. What is this place? These are the lines.

[Joy Dolo]

A tunnels.

[Obasi]

I am not fireproof.

[Joy Dolo]

Disney Pixar's Elio in theaters June 20. Tickets available now. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Double O Ossi, do you copy? Over.

[Obasi]

Yeah, Joy. I mean, double O doo. Copy that? Over.

[Joy Dolo]

Roger that. What's your 20? Over.

[Obasi]

You mean my location? Joy, we've been. Okay, Double O. Dolo. We've been sitting next to each other slurping milkshakes for the last 10 minutes. You know my location, Over.

[Joy Dolo]

Copy that. I just wanted us to test our new H E R M I E, AKA Hermey issued thumb radios before we get our next spy mission. Over and out.

[Obasi]

Ah, gotcha. These tiny communication devices disguised as our thumbs are pretty cool.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Now when we spy on somebody, they'll just think we're giving them a big thumbs up. When actually we're sending our super secret spy messages by talking into our thumb radios. The perfect tool for agents of Hermee like us.

[Obasi]

What does herme stand for?

[Joy Dolo]

Historical effects retaining mystery, intrigue and excitement, obviously.

[Obasi]

Oh, that must be H. With our next mission.

[Joy Dolo]

Thumbs up.

[Hannah Diamond]

Hello, agents. I have a new assignment for you. Does the name Josephine Baker mean anything to you?

[Joy Dolo]

Josephine Baker, the black dancer and singer who became super famous in the 1920s and 30s?

[Obasi]

Josephine Baker, who wore fancy furs and jewelry and befriended artists like Picasso?

[Hannah Diamond]

Indeed. It's good to hear you're familiar with her.

[Joy Dolo]

What was that? Sorry, just finishing my milkshake.

[Hannah Diamond]

As I was saying, it has come to our attention that there may be more to Ms. Baker's history than meets the eye. I need you to go through her timeline and search for clues.

[Obasi]

You got it, Age. This case is going to be solved before you can say over and out, agents.

[Hannah Diamond]

You know it's only going to take, like, half a second to say over.

[Joy Dolo]

And thumbs down. Thumbs down.

[Obasi]

Phew. That was a close one. Let's solve this thing.

[Joy Dolo]

Welcome to Forever Ago from APM Studios. I'm Joy Dolo, and today I'm joined by Obasi from Oregon City, Oregon. Hey, Obasi.

[Obasi]

Hey, Joy. Forever Go is a nonprofit public radio.

[Joy Dolo]

Program, which means we rely on support from you, our listeners, to keep the show going.

[Obasi]

There's lots of ways you can support this show.

[Joy Dolo]

You can donate, buy our merch, or become a smarty Pass subscriber. Head to foreverago.org to show your support and thank you. As top secret agents of Hermi, we go through history with a fine toothed comb. Obasi, do you have a favorite time in history that you like to investigate?

[Obasi]

Well, the Industrial revolution is pretty cool. There's a lot of ambitions in there that I like to check out.

[Joy Dolo]

Like, what?

[Obasi]

I know the zipper was invented then, but, like, how did it come to exist? Like, it's something pretty simple that's in our everyday lives, but it's still super cool.

[Joy Dolo]

That's cool. The zipper was invented during the. That's one of those things that we kind of take for granted. Like, could you imagine life without zippers?

[Obasi]

I. That'd be something else.

[Joy Dolo]

Honestly, it would be really hard to keep your coats on.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

And keep your purse closed, keep your backpack closed. You know, if you could live in a different era, what would it be?

[Obasi]

Ooh, I'd probably say, like, I don't know, 1960 or, like, the 1980s, because, like, all the music and culture back then seemed pretty cool, honestly.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever seen, like, those 80s films where they have, like, the big hair and, like, the socks and, like, all the fashion and stuff from the time? Seems so cool.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. I think the 70s would be cool, too, like, with, like, the kind of hippie culture and, you know, flowers and concerts and. I don't know, it just seems like a cool and a time when, like, young people were saying, like, we're going to try to, like, establish ourselves as individuals. I think that's really powerful.

[Obasi]

Yeah, I agree.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Okay, so what's one spy gadget that you wish was real?

[Obasi]

Ooh, I'd probably say, like, a grappling hook that had, like, a recording camera and a whole bunch of things on it, but just looked like something an everyday person would use that would Be really cool, because then I could just like, bring it to school in my backpack. And I'm like, oh, no, I'm about to miss my class. I gotta get to the top floor really quickly. Grappling hook, Bam.

[Joy Dolo]

Grappling hook, go. And it's like. It's actually like your water bottle that just, like, turns into a grappling hook and, like, shoots you all the way to class. That's so cool. Foreign. So back to our super secret mission. We've been asked to learn about the legendary dancer Josephine Baker. The first thing we need are disguises. Pass me the glue so I can attach this fake mustache, and I'll pin this I love mayo button on my shirt. No one will ever recognize me, Right?

[Obasi]

And I'll throw on these glasses with a fake nose.

[Joy Dolo]

Perfect.

[Obasi]

Okay. We know Josephine Baker was one of the major black female entertainers of her time.

[Joy Dolo]

She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1906. Back then, the United States was still growing. There were only 45 states at the time. A clue.

[Obasi]

Well, more of a fact in this case. And your mustache is upside down. Anyways, what we do know about Josephine's early life is that it was difficult.

[Joy Dolo]

Right. Black people in the United States faced intense racism.

[Obasi]

Laws were made and enforced by white people.

[Joy Dolo]

Some of these laws tried to keep black and white people separate. This is known as segregation. These laws made it so black people like Josephine couldn't attend the same schools as white people.

[Obasi]

And these laws made it illegal for black people and white people to eat in the same restaurant or even drink from the same water fountain.

[Joy Dolo]

To top it off, Josephine's family had very little money.

[Obasi]

During this tough time, Josephine found happiness in dancing.

[Joy Dolo]

By the time she was 13, she was performing for people on the streets of St. Louis. Wow. I've never seen moves like that.

[Obasi]

Yeah, that kid has something special.

[Joy Dolo]

Then in 1923, she followed her dancing shoes to New York City. That same year, a dance called the Charleston took the country by storm. In this dance, you kind of twist your feet on the floor and step forward and backward while your arms swing side to side.

[Obasi]

Josephine's version of the Charleston was anything but basic. Her limbs shot out every which way, and she made silly faces.

[Joy Dolo]

Her unique take on the dance helped her get hired to perform on the stages of New York, including a musical on Broadway. But segregation and racist laws meant that some theaters didn't allow black people inside to see Josephine's shows. Others forced black theatergoers to sit in a separate section up in the balcony.

[Obasi]

Hey, Joy, have you Been able to locate any hidden historical details yet.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, hold on. Let me scan the facts with my Dolo Dar 1000. It's the latest in super secret spy technology. I'm not getting any abnormal readings here. Cherry with a bubble gum center.

[Obasi]

Isn't the Dolodar 1000 just a lollipop?

[Joy Dolo]

It's not just a lollipop. It's a delicious lollipop. Okay, back to the mission. When Josephine was 19, she got her big break.

[Obasi]

A talent scout from France saw one of her performances and asked if she liked to dance in a show in Paris. Josephine decided to go for it.

[Joy Dolo]

France had its own problems with racism at the time, But French people had a deep appreciation for African American art and culture. And that made a big, big difference in her experience.

[Obasi]

From the moment she stepped off the boat in France, she knew things were different. Bonjour, mademoiselle.

[Joy Dolo]

May I take your bag? Right this way to your taxi. How about a pastry? Fresh from my bakery?

[Obasi]

Josephine was amazed to be treated as an equal by white people in France.

[Joy Dolo]

In the US she had to sit in separate areas of restaurants for black people. And she often wasn't allowed in hotel lobbies. Yet here she was, having doors flung open for her and being greeted with a smile.

[Obasi]

Not long after she got to Paris, Josephine discovered that very few people had heard of the Charleston.

[Joy Dolo]

Remember, the Charleston was the style of dance Josephine had performed in New York, where she swung her arms and legs and made funny faces. The Charleston was super popular in the US in the 1920s, but in Paris, it was brand new.

[Obasi]

At her first performance, audiences were stunned. The people of Paris went gaga. Her performances soon started selling out. I've never seen someone dance like that. May I have your autograph? Fans started showering her with expensive gifts.

[Joy Dolo]

I'd like to give you a gift for your singing and dancing talents. Here, take this automobile as a token.

[Hannah Diamond]

Of my appreciation for singing and dancing at my theater.

[Joy Dolo]

Please accept this live cheetah as a gift. It's true. Josephine was actually given a cheetah. She would stroll the streets of Paris with her pet cheetah named Chiquita on a leash.

[Obasi]

She also started her own line of beauty products. And she became the first black woman to star in a major movie in France.

[Joy Dolo]

Josephine's stardom was like a rocket to the moon. And she was more grande than Ariana.

[Obasi]

She had more splash than a Kardashe.

[Joy Dolo]

Introducing the Queen Hip Shaker, Josephine Baker. By the late 1930s, she had conquered all the biggest stages of Europe and was at the Tip top of her fame, Joy.

[Obasi]

Speaking of tip top, can you reach the folder on the top of the shelf? I can't tell what's inside, but I think the label says Josephine Baker on it.

[Joy Dolo]

Let me just deploy my Dolo pogo, Go Go boots and hop on up. Got it. Oh no, I can't stop bouncing. Here, catch. I'm okay. I'm alright. What's in the folder?

[Obasi]

Whoa. It's a folder of sheet music Josephine used when she performed.

[Joy Dolo]

You mean like the paper that musicians use with the music notes on it?

[Obasi]

Yeah, but it's not just music. There's a bunch of writing in between the lines. It looks like a secret code.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, let me see. This could be the clue we've been looking for. Before we dig into that, how about we take a little break and play.

[Obasi]

First things first.

[Joy Dolo]

This is the game where we take three things and put them in order from oldest to most recent in history. Today we're going to guess which dance crazes came first. The Cha Cha Slide, the Macarena and the Hokey Pokey. So what do you think, Obasi? Have you heard of these dances before?

[Obasi]

Oh, I've heard of all of them and I've done all of them.

[Joy Dolo]

You've done all of them? Which one of those are your favorite?

[Obasi]

Probably the Cha Cha slide.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, I like the Cha Cha slide too.

[Obasi]

This is probably going to be the hardest first things first I've ever done, ever. I'm usually really good at these, but these all seem super old.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Yeah. All right, so what's your first guess? What do you think is the oldest?

[Obasi]

I'm gonna say the Hokey Pokey because I mean, like, it just sounds the oldest.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, yeah. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around.

[Obasi]

That's what it's all about.

[Joy Dolo]

All right, so the first one's the Hokey Pokey.

[Obasi]

Then I'm gonna say the Cha Cha Slide just because, like, the music sounds like 70s or like 90s to me.

[Joy Dolo]

Yes, the 90s was a long time ago, back when I was your age.

[Obasi]

And then the last one's gonna be the Macarena because, I mean, like, I still see kids at my school doing it every now and then.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, yeah.

[Obasi]

So it kind of still seems a little new.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, it's still got a new vibe to it. The Macarena still works. What is the Macarena? It's the hands. Where the hands go out and then they flip over.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

And then you put it on your. On your hips and you do The Hey Macarena.

[Obasi]

Right, Dana?

[Joy Dolo]

All right, well, those are all great guesses. So just to recap, number one was the Hokey Pokey. Number two was Cha Cha Slide. And then the most recent in history, the Macarena.

[Obasi]

Yep.

[Joy Dolo]

All right, those are great guesses. We'll hear the answer at the end of the episode.

[Obasi]

Don't dance too far away. Forever. Go. We'll be right back.

[Joy Dolo]

Hey, forever ago. Friends, we're working on an episode all about school uniforms, and we want to hear from you. Do you think kids should wear uniforms to school? Why or why not? If you could design a school uniform for everyone in your school to wear every day, what would it look like? Abbasi, what do you think? What kind of uniform would you design?

[Obasi]

Ooh, probably something that's, like, comfy, like pajamas, but looks very official. Like, I don't know. Ooh, a pajama business suit that looks business.

[Joy Dolo]

Pajamas business. No pizness, no pajama ness. It's a work in progress. That's a cool idea, though. Something comfortable that looks professional. Do you think that kids should wear uniforms to school?

[Obasi]

I've kind of had an experience with uniforms, and it really depends on what they're like.

[Joy Dolo]

What was your experience?

[Obasi]

Well, my experience was like, you had three options for the shirt. Yellow, red, or blue, and two options for the bottom, khaki or navy blue. The first couple years were kind of fun, but then it got a little old.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Yeah. Because you only have the same options to choose from still.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

So it's like you have a uniform, but you have, like, an option within the rules of it. So it could be fun. But I could see how it gets boring too.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Well, listeners, we want to hear what you think about school uniforms too. So record yourself sharing your opinion or experience and send it to [e-mail] contact and while you're there, you can send us fan art. Like maybe a picture of me and Obasi talking into our thumb radios while slurping milkshakes. Or maybe a picture of business pajamas. Send it to [e-mail] contact and keep listening. Brains on Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Forever a goal, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore. It's Alien exercise hour.

[Unknown]

Hi yah hoo ha. While I stretch my snoodles and bounce on my trampolini, I'll listen to a new podcast. I'm going to try Smashboom Best the Best debate podcast ever.

[Joy Dolo]

Tell us why Alice in Wonderland has such grand command. Drop the beat. Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed judge of smashboom Best. I'd like to start with a few rhymes. Ah, yo, catch me in the rabbit hole. Dazzled by a magic show by the Z.

[Unknown]

Come back here. Podcast Must listen to smashboom Best. Now.

[Joy Dolo]

Listen to Smash. Boom. Best. Wherever you get your podcasts, you're listening to forever ago. I'm Joy.

[Obasi]

And I'm Obasi.

[Joy Dolo]

Uh, don't you mean double O O Bossy.

[Obasi]

CopyDad? Double O. Dolo.

[Joy Dolo]

It's a call from our super secret spy line agents.

[Hannah Diamond]

What's the status of the Josephine Baker case? Time is running out.

[Joy Dolo]

Well, we've been following a lot of leads. Like how Josephine followed her dreams of becoming a dancer by going to New York when she was a teenager. Hmm.

[Obasi]

And get this. She was offered a chance to dance in Paris.

[Joy Dolo]

But unlike the United States in Europe, she found herself able to move freely, perform, and mingle with black and white people.

[Hannah Diamond]

Interesting. But remember, the mission was to search for lesser known stories about Josephine Baker's life. Agents, I'm gonna need to pull this case from you. If you can't see.

[Joy Dolo]

No, wait. H, just. Just give us a little more time.

[Obasi]

Yeah, I think we're close. We found some of Josephine's old sheet music. And there's some secret writing on it.

[Hannah Diamond]

A promising clue. This could be the break you've been looking for. I'll give you until the end of the day to come back with some answers. And be on the lookout for a special communique. Code word. Diamond.

[Joy Dolo]

Thanks, H. You won't regret this.

[Hannah Diamond]

Over and out.

[Obasi]

Hmm.

[Joy Dolo]

Let me see that old sheet music. Oh, there's a date on it. Looks like 1940 something, but it's smudged. I can't quite make it out.

[Obasi]

Well, 1940 is when many countries all over the world split into two sides that fought each other. It was called World War II.

[Joy Dolo]

It was a complicated time with neighboring countries turning against each other. Obasi, you said you like World War II history. What was happening in the early 1940s?

[Obasi]

So there were three main countries trying to get as much land and power as they could. Italy, Japan and Germany.

[Joy Dolo]

The German soldiers were called Nazis. They were led by Adolf Hitler, who was fueled by racism and hatred, especially for Jewish people.

[Obasi]

April 9.

[Joy Dolo]

Norway invaded. One month later, Holland falls beloved. Queen Wilhelmina seeks refuge abroad. May 28, Leopold, King of the Belgium, surrenders and the world despairs. June 5.

[Obasi]

The critical battle of France begins. While France fights For its life, Italy marches beside Germany.

[Joy Dolo]

European countries like Great Britain, Russia, and France joined forces to fight back. Aside from wars on the battlefield, there also were wars of information. Spies crisscrossed Europe to gather secrets that could help their side win.

[Obasi]

Oh.

[Joy Dolo]

Whoa, whoa. This is a top secret communication device with a highly secure password. Who goes there?

[Unknown]

Hi, I'm Hannah Diamond.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, diamond, the secret code word that H mentioned.

[Obasi]

Hi, Hannah. Do you perhaps know anything about the famous entertainer Josephine Baker?

[Unknown]

Well, it just so happens that I've written a book about Josephine Baker's life during World War II. Stand by for dossier transmission.

[Obasi]

Whoa. Joy, Hannah just emailed us a ton of information about Josephine. Check it out.

[Joy Dolo]

Hmm. Yes, I see. It's about a French spy from World War II named Jacques Abtet.

[Obasi]

Here, look. It says this Jacques guy knew Josephine.

[Joy Dolo]

Baker and that he traveled with her as a manager or something.

[Unknown]

In reality, he was her spy handler.

[Obasi]

Wait, Josephine Baker was a spy?

[Joy Dolo]

So this spy guy, Jacques, was just pretending to be her manager?

[Unknown]

He was helping her to carry out missions, and he was able to travel in disguise and nobody noticed him because Josephine Baker was such a big star and all people did was look at her.

[Joy Dolo]

Whoa. Josephine was a huge star and a spy, just like me. Aw. Huh? Does this mean every celebrity is also a super secret spy? Beyonce Chapel. Roan. Jason Momoa, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden. Ariana Grande.

[Obasi]

Joy. Octavia Joy. Focus. It all makes sense. Josephine had this perfect cover. She was a huge celebrity, so no one suspected her. She could hide in plain sight.

[Joy Dolo]

Hmm. But how does singing and dancing get an enemy's secrets? Do you know, Hannah?

[Unknown]

Well, she was able to get invitations to embassies and places where there were people gathering because she wanted to find out what they were thinking about. The Second World War, for example. She managed to get into the Italian embassy. Listen to what people said.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, I get it. Even though Italy and France were fighting During World War II, Josephine was still a beloved performer. And everybody loves a celebrity. So getting invited to special events, even those on the enemy side, didn't look out of the ordinary.

[Obasi]

And she'd overhear secrets there. How did she remember everything? So she could tell the French army?

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, there was no Internet or text messaging. What happened, Hannah?

[Unknown]

Well, the story is that she would write sometimes on her arm, or she would write on tiny bits of paper that she would pin on the insides of her clothes, sometimes in her underwear. Or she would wear these big skirts and hide them in the folds of the skirt. And she would say, famously, no one would ever Dare to search Josephine Baker. And in this way, she was able to pass through and carry this information to the people who needed to know.

[Joy Dolo]

Ooh, a tres chic sneak.

[Unknown]

Sometimes she didn't know the content of the information that she smuggled through the borders. It was written in invisible ink, and sometimes even it was coded as well.

[Obasi]

I bet that's what's in the folder we found. The papers that look like sheet music with the coded messages.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, Bassie, you're right. But why was she doing all this? She had a super successful career as a singer and dancer. Why did she become a spy?

[Obasi]

Okay, think about this. During World War II, Germany invaded France, and Josephine loved France. The people there had welcomed her as an equal, and she wanted to protect it.

[Joy Dolo]

So cool. It sounds like she took tons of risks to do this spy work.

[Obasi]

Joy, check out this picture that Hannah sent over. It's Josephine, but she looks older.

[Joy Dolo]

Huh. And she's at some kind of huge gathering with a microphone in front of her, zooming in. And she's wearing her French uniform. It's covered with medals. Oh, bossy. Look.

[Obasi]

The Croix de Guerre, France's highest military honor. Well, that's some mettle.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. So I guess after the war, France celebrated all she did. She became a celebrity and a war hero. Oh, and look. The Picture is dated August 28, 1963. The date of the March on Washington.

[Obasi]

So she made it back to the U.S. the March on Washington was a huge Protest in Washington, D.C. hundreds of.

[Joy Dolo]

Thousands of people gathered to demand equal treatment for black Americans.

[Obasi]

It's also where Martin Luther King Jr. Made his historic I have a Dream speech.

[Joy Dolo]

And it looks like Josephine gave a speech, too.

[Obasi]

What does the transcript say? Swipe to the next document.

[Joy Dolo]

Josephine said, after so many long years of struggle, fighting here and elsewhere for your rights, our rights. The rights of humanity, the rights of man. I'm glad that you have accepted me to come. I didn't ask you. I didn't have to. I just came because it was my duty.

[Obasi]

Then she ends. You are on the eve of complete victory. Continue on. You can't go wrong. The world is behind you. Wow.

[Joy Dolo]

So during World War II, when France was invaded, she fought for them. And then years later, after the war ended, she kept fighting for equality.

[Obasi]

Right? She wanted black people in the US to be treated the same as white people.

[Joy Dolo]

Incredible. Nice work, Double O. O, Bossy. And thanks, Hannah. We couldn't have done it without you.

[Unknown]

Goodbye.

[Obasi]

That must be H. I can't wait to share what we found.

[Hannah Diamond]

Time's up. Agents, what do you got for me?

[Obasi]

We checked into Josephine Baker's life. From growing up in a segregated country, she followed her dreams to become a dancer and moved to New York.

[Joy Dolo]

Then, at 19, she got her big break. A chance to perform at a show in Paris.

[Obasi]

The people of Paris had never seen someone who danced like her. She made silly faces while her limbs shot out in all different directions. Soon, she became a mega superstar in Europe.

[Joy Dolo]

And here's the kicker. During World War II, Josephine became a spy for France.

[Obasi]

Her celebrity status was the perfect disguise. She could travel freely, meet influential people and smuggle out their secrets.

[Joy Dolo]

And she never stopped being a champion of equal rights in France and in the United States. Wow.

[Hannah Diamond]

Great work, Double O's. If Josephine Baker were still around today, I think she'd fit right in as an agent of Hern. Now, for your next assignment, I'm putting you on the Limburger experiment. It's a very important case to find the absolute stinkiest cheese in history.

[Obasi]

Thumbs down. Thumbs down.

[Joy Dolo]

Thumbs down. This episode was written by Mark Sanchez. It was produced by Nico Gonzalez Whistler and Ruby Guthrie. Fact checking by Nico Gonzalez Whistler. It was edited by Shayla Farzon. Engineering help from Jess Berg and Nate Scholl, with sound design by Rachel Breese. Original theme music by Mark Sanchez. We had additional production help from the rest of the brains on Universe Team. Molly Bloom, Rosie Dupont, Anna Goldfield, Lauren.

[Hannah Diamond]

Humphert, Joshua Ray, Mark Sanchez, Sandon Tottenham.

[Joy Dolo]

Charlotte Traver, Anna Wegel and Haran Woldesilassi. Beth Pearlman is our executive producer. And the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavadi and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Dr. Arlecia Norwood, Hannah diamond and Kimberly Kahlo. Hannah's book, Josephine Baker's Secret War came out earlier this year. It's all about Baker's time as a spy. Okay, Obasi, are you ready to hear the answers for first things first?

[Obasi]

Yeah, I'm super ready, but I'm also pretty nervous.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, don't be nervous. This is the best part. Just a reminder, we're putting these three dance crazes in order, and you said number one was the Hokey Pokey, number two was the Cha Cha Slide, and number three was the Macarena. Are you ready to hear what the answer is?

[Obasi]

Yep.

[Joy Dolo]

Okay. You know what? You did pretty good. So first up was the Hokey Pokey. You were absolutely right.

[Obasi]

Ooh.

[Joy Dolo]

The Hokey Pokey by the Ray Anthony Orchestra was invented in 1953. And so in this version, it's the one we know today, but several people have tried to take credit for writing it. It was released as a double A side single, which means two hits on one record. The other song was the Bunny Hop, so that was number one. And then second was the Macarena. And so the Macarena was by Los Del Rio and that came out in 1993. So you were absolutely right about the 90s. Yeah. So the Bayside Boys remix version is the one most people are familiar with. They added English lyrics and it got as high as 45 in the Billboard charts in 1995.

[Obasi]

That's pretty high.

[Joy Dolo]

That's pretty high. And I was eight years old. Just so everybody knows that's don't add up how old I am now. So Los Del Rio is from Spain and had released 31 albums before finally landing on their big hit, the Macarena. There are many different versions of the song, including one that lasts 18 minutes.

[Obasi]

That's pretty long.

[Joy Dolo]

I know. I don't know if I can Macarena that long. I think I got a good seven probably in me. So last but certainly not least is the Cha cha slide by DJ Casper. And that one came out in 2000. So the actual name of this song is Cha Cha Slide Part two. The lyrics were made up for DJ Casper's nephew who taught the moves in an aerobics class. That is so cool. Originally called Casper Slide Part one, DJ Casper used a piece of music by an artist called jd he decided to re record his own music with a band he put together. And the song has been playing at weddings, school dances, and dance clubs all over the world ever since. Have you ever danced to the Cha Cha Slide at a wedding or a school dance?

[Obasi]

Oh, I've danced to it so many times at like, school dances or like during PE2.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Cha Cha. Real smooth. Turn it out. That's one of my favorite. One of my favorite dances.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Were you surprised by any of these answers?

[Obasi]

Quite a bit. Because, I mean, like, the Cha cha slide in 2000, that seemed more like the 90s.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was fairly close. It's right on the cusp of it. Right at the turn of the century, if you will. Yeah. But it wasn't that long ago. I'm surprised that the Hokey pokey was from 1950. 53. I thought it would be from, like, way earlier. Cool. But you did a great job. You got the first one right.

[Obasi]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Hokey Pokey. Nailed it. You did so great. We'll be back next week with a new episode all about school uniforms.

[Obasi]

Thanks for listening.