JOSEPHINE BAKER - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 06/27/1951 - HFSID 251418

JOSEPHINE BAKER
She writes a warm letter to friends, thanking them for, "The flowers, telegrams and beautiful letters." Accompanied by envelope addressed in Baker's hand.
Autograph Letter signed: "J. Baker", 2p, 6x9¼. Boston, June 27, no year (but accompanying envelope is postmarked June28, 1951). On letterhead of Hotel Statler to "Dearest Mildred". In full: "I do thank you for your letter and am sending it to Jo because the things are leaving on the 22nd of July for France. I do hope we succeed because then next season we shall start sending again. Trust me dear I long to see you again, it seems months since you were to see me. Again I thank you for the flowers, telegrams and beautiful letters. I won't be able to give you the address after the 2nd Aug because I myself don't know for the moment but shall send it just as soon as I do dear. I too am having trouble with my children cats the large ones have ear trouble that is not bad but the small one has been poor little darling, has something wrong with his hind legs from birth the vet says and he limps already. Later he will be dragging them but there is no pain. Thank God. Naturally I love him all the more. Darling love and kisses for you from Bill and George." Ink on each side of page shows through faintly. Fine condition. Accompanied by unsigned matching envelope, 6½x3½, addressed in Baker's hand to "Mr and Mrs Miller/Colden New York/Hayes-Hollow Road/N.Y", postmarked Boston, Massachusetts, air mail stamp affixed. Lightly soiled. Torn at right edge and right of upper edge. Otherwise, fine condition. Flamboyant dancer and jazz singer Josephine Baker (1906-1975) first attracted attention in the all-Black musical revue Shuffle Along (1921). During the early 1920s, she made regular appearances at the Cotton Club and other New York nightclubs, performing dances created by Blacks. After appearing in La revue Nègre in Paris, Baker became enormously popular in France, where the Parisians had a passion for African-American culture.