Pablo Picasso said of her: "Tall, coffee skin, ebony eyes, legs of paradise, a smile to end all smiles.".
Georges Simenon, the Belgium author and inventor of Inspector "Maigret" had a short relationship with Josephine in 1925. He couldn't stand it however that she was more in the spotlight then him, and called himself "Mr. Josephine".
Buried in the Cimetiere de Monaco in Monte Carlo.
During World War II, she worked as a spy for the French resistance.
Had pet leopards that she would walk down the Champs-Elysees.
In 1928, her husband/manager 'Count' Pepito di Abatino dueled Andrew Czolovodi, a Hungarian cavalry officer, over Josephine in St. Stephen's cemetery in Budapest. The duel lasted only 10 minutes, ending when di Abatino was scratched by Czolovodi's blade.
In 1951 the Stork Club in New York City refused to serve her because she was black. This led to a confrontation with columnist Walter Winchell. Later, during the McCarthy "Red Scare" period in the early 1950s, she was falsely accused of being a Communist sympathizer, and the FBI started a file on her.
In 1995 had a song written about her by the band Fossil titled "Josephine Baker".
In 2003 another musical went on stage, in Belgium, called "Simenon et Josephine". It was a musical comedy related to the Maigret year of 2003 in Belgium.
In a "Wayne's World" skit on "Saturday Night Live" (1975), she was ranked number 8 in Wayne's Top 10 Babes of All Time.
Inducted into Hall of Famous Missourians, 1995.
Janet Flanner, "New Yorker" correspondent said of her "Her magnificent dark body, a new model to the French, proved for the first time that black was beautiful."
Once had a rejected (and dejected) suitor kill himself at her feet.
Pictured in a poster for the film Princesse Tam Tam (1935) on a 42¢ USA commemorative postage stamp celebrating Vintage Black Cinema, issued 16 July 2008.
Refused to perform in clubs that practiced racial segregation.
She adopted 12 children, partly because she couldn't have any of her own and partly because she believed in equality for all, no matter what nationality, religion or race they were of. They were called "the Rainbow Children" and their names were: Aiko (Korea), Luis (Colombia), Janot (Japan), Jari (Finland), Jean-Claude (Canada), Moses (French), Marianne (France), Noel (France), Brahim (Arab), Mara (Venezuela), Koffi (the Ivory-Coast), Stellina (Morocco).
She became a French citizen in 1937.
The Dutchman Henk van der Meyden, composed and wrote a musical about the life of Josephine Baker called "Josephine" which had its premiere in 1991 at Luxor Theater, Rotterdam. Cheryl Howard played the role of Josephine. The musical contained 5 original songs of Josephine, as well as new written songs.