When Baker was done performing, she settled down in a sixteenth-century chateau she named Les Milandes. In 1953, Josephine Baker adopted 12 children from Finland, Japan, Korea, Columbia, France, Belgium, and Venezuela. She adopted two girls, French-born Marianne and Moroccan-born Stellina. Baker also adopted ten sons, Korean-born Jeannot, Japanese-born Akio, Colombian-born Luis, Finnish-born Jari, French-born Jean-Claude and Noël, Israeli-born Moïse, Algerian-born Brahim, Ivorian-born Koffi, and Venezuelan-born Mara. She called her family the rainbow tribe. Baker charged anyone who came to hear her children sing, to tour their home, or to watch her children play. The 10 boys and two girls demonstrated Baker's belief in the possibility of equality and showed children of all skin colors, nations, and religions living together in harmony. As her children got older, Baker sold Les Milandes because she ran out of money. Her career could not support the large family she created so Baker and her children moved to Monaco. When her children became teenagers, many of them began to resent Baker. Baker was not accepting to everyone like most people believed. When Baker found out one of her son's Jarry was gay, she scolded him front of the entire family before sending him to live with her ex husband in Buenos Aires.
Baker's children have different perspectives on her as a mother
"She was too possessive. We weren’t allow to develop the way we wanted to.” -Jerry
“She was a great artist, and she was our mother. Mothers make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.” - Akio
Baker spent her life trying to be different, often Fighting.
"She was too possessive. We weren’t allow to develop the way we wanted to.” -Jerry
“She was a great artist, and she was our mother. Mothers make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.” - Akio
Baker spent her life trying to be different, often Fighting.