Josephine Baker’s Secret War – Hanna Diamond

19 October, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Before the Second World War, Josephine Baker (1906–1975) was one of the most famous performers in the world making her name dancing on the Parisian stage. When war broke out, she decided not to return to America and instead turned spy for the French Secret Services. Drawing on previously unseen material, Diamond reveals the vital role Baker played throughout the war, from counterintelligence work for the Allied landings in North Africa to serving in the French Air Force in 1944–45. This ground breaking account is the first to reveal the full significance of Josephine Baker’s wartime contribution.

Hanna Diamond is Professor of French History at Cardiff University.