Josephine Baker's Secret War : The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom by Hanna Diamond

The full story of Josephine Baker’s wartime and intelligence work in France and North Africa   Before the Second World War, Josephine Baker (1906–1975) was one of the most famous performers in the world. She made her name dancing on the Parisian stage, but when war broke out she decided not to return to America. Instead, Baker turned spy for the French Secret Services.

  In this engaging, deeply researched study, Hanna Diamond tells the full story of Baker’s actions for the French and Allied powers in World War Two. Drawing on previously unseen material, Diamond reveals the vital role Baker played throughout the war, from counterintelligence work for the Allied landings in North Africa to serving in the French Air Force in 1944–45. A woman of colour operating in a white male environment, Baker exploited her celebrity to enable her war work across France, Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East.

  This groundbreaking account is the first to reveal the full significance of Baker’s wartime contribution.

Format:Paperback / softback 368 pages, 32 bw illus. + 2 maps
Publisher:Yale University Press
Imprint:Yale University Press
ISBN:9780300286991
Published:2 Oct 2026
Classifications:France, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2), Biography: arts & entertainment, European history, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, Second World War, Espionage & secret services
Dimensions:197 x 127 (mm)