This illuminating biographical novel brings to life Josephine Baker's early years in servitude and poverty in America, her rise to fame as a showgirl in her famous banana skirt, her activism against discrimination, and her many loves and losses. From 1920s Paris to 1960s Washington to her final triumphant performance, one of the most extraordinary lives of the twentieth century is vividly depicted on the page. With comprehensive research and intimate prose, Sherry Jones honors the legendary performer and activist in a joyous celebration of a life lived in technicolor, and a powerful woman who continues to inspire today.