31. She Became a Runaway Success in Paris
Josephine Baker did relatively well in New York City, but 1920s America was not exactly a great era for black people seeking to realize their full potential. Growing tired of the glass ceiling of racism that capped her career prospects, Baker decided to bet on herself by leaving America in search of greener pastures abroad. In 1925, aged 19, she headed to Paris, where she opened La Revue Negre. In the City of Light, she became an immediate hit with her erotic dancing, performed semi nude.