Speech on the March on Washington
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Background Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture and to become a famous world-class entertainer. After dropping out of high school at the age of 12, Baker became a very successful street performer, and soon accepted positions in American, and later French, vaudevilles. Josephine Baker was a major figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, during which she adopted 12 multi-ethnic children and refused to perform for segregated audiences. At the March on Washington, led by many high profile civil rights activists, Baker had the honor of being asked to speak before the march began.
Speech at the March on Washington
Speech by Josephine Baker
1. [Read lozenge] As you read lines 1-XX [“Friends and family…to…I never feared], begin to collect and cite text evidence. * Underline the statement that shows why Josephine Baker is qualified to give a speech. * In the margin, summarize the evidence Josephine Baker provides that shows she’s similar to other African-Americans. * Circle the difference between Josephine Baker and other African-Americans.
Josephine Baker has been the victim of racism, like other African-Americans.
Josephine Baker has been the victim of racism, like other African-Americans.
“Friends and family . . . you know I have lived a long time and I have come a long way. And you must know now that what I did, I did originally for myself. Then later, as these things began happening to me, I wondered if they were happening to you, and then I knew they must be. And I knew that you had no way to defend yourselves, as I had.
“And as I continued to do the things I did, and to say the things I said, they began to beat me. Not beat me, mind you, with a club—but you know, I have seen that done too—but they beat me with their pens, with their writings. And friends, that is much worse.
“When I was a child and they burned me out of my home, I frightened and I ran away. Eventually I
Background Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture and to become a famous world-class entertainer. After dropping out of high school at the age of 12, Baker became a very successful street performer, and soon accepted positions in American, and later French, vaudevilles. Josephine Baker was a major figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, during which she adopted 12 multi-ethnic children and refused to perform for segregated audiences. At the March on Washington, led by many high profile civil rights activists, Baker had the honor of being asked to speak before the march began.
Speech at the March on Washington
Speech by Josephine Baker
1. [Read lozenge] As you read lines 1-XX [“Friends and family…to…I never feared], begin to collect and cite text evidence. * Underline the statement that shows why Josephine Baker is qualified to give a speech. * In the margin, summarize the evidence Josephine Baker provides that shows she’s similar to other African-Americans. * Circle the difference between Josephine Baker and other African-Americans.
Josephine Baker has been the victim of racism, like other African-Americans.
Josephine Baker has been the victim of racism, like other African-Americans.
“Friends and family . . . you know I have lived a long time and I have come a long way. And you must know now that what I did, I did originally for myself. Then later, as these things began happening to me, I wondered if they were happening to you, and then I knew they must be. And I knew that you had no way to defend yourselves, as I had.
“And as I continued to do the things I did, and to say the things I said, they began to beat me. Not beat me, mind you, with a club—but you know, I have seen that done too—but they beat me with their pens, with their writings. And friends, that is much worse.
“When I was a child and they burned me out of my home, I frightened and I ran away. Eventually I