Fifty years after her passing, Monaco has honoured the extraordinary life and legacy of Joséphine Baker, the trailblazing singer, dancer, Resistance hero and humanitarian who left an indelible mark on the Principality…
This weekend, on April 12, a commemorative ceremony took place at the Monaco Marine Cemetery, where Baker is buried alongside her last husband and one of her adopted children—by choice of her family, despite her symbolic resting place at the Panthéon in Paris.
The tribute was both heartfelt and historical, reflecting the deep ties Baker shared with Monaco and with Princess Grace in particular, who offered her refuge in her later years. It was in Monaco that Baker, after a life of international stardom and resistance against injustice, found stability and the support needed to return to the stage.
Speaking to Monaco Info, Michel Barbier, Baker’s former private secretary, recalled her strength and luminosity: “She was a woman of courage and determination who never let adversity break her spirit.” He also emphasised the pivotal role Princess Grace played in Baker’s final years, offering not just financial help but a deep, personal friendship.
Baker’s legacy as a civil rights advocate, Resistance fighter, and adoptive mother to 12 children of different nationalities was highlighted throughout the ceremony. Her enduring message of tolerance, equality and unity resonates as powerfully today as it did in her lifetime.
Monaco’s tribute is a reminder of the Principality’s place in Joséphine Baker’s remarkable story—and the enduring bond between two extraordinary women: Baker and Princess Grace.
Image: Black Film Center/Archive
