Discover African-American history in Paris From Josephine Baker
to 'Harlem Hellfighters,' Paris has embraced black culture Think
Paris, and the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées and haute
couture come to mind. But the City of Light also is rich in
African-American history. Keeping this history alive are tour
companies that share it, up close and personal, with visitors to
France. From legendary entertainer Josephine Baker to
internationally acclaimed artist Henry Ossawa Tanner to World
War I's ragtime-and-jazz-playing "Harlem Hellfighters," Paris
has embraced African-American culture like few other places.
Because of that legendary embrace -- one that black folks in the
States had heard about since the 1800s -- Paris loomed large in
their imaginations. To many who didn't always feel welcome in
their native country, the city sounded like a place where they
could emotionally exhale. "It's always been about freedom for
us," says Marcus Bruce, the Benjamin E. Mays Professor of
Religious Studies at Bates College an