This Summer, I'm Inspired by the Great Ones

Over the past few weeks, I've enjoyed entertaining audiences at various libraries and camps. I really enjoy doing these shows. I'm eagerly anticipating my upcoming hospital clowning performances in Columbus this autumn. In the meantime, I've been keeping busy with shows at camps and libraries this summer.

I do some comedy, music, and juggling during my summer show. It's the skills I've learned mixed with some basic performing skills.  While I'm doing all of this, I also take time to talk about some of the artists who have inspired me. While the list of those who have inspired me is long, for these shows, I focus on three artists:  Bert Williams, the Mills Brothers, and Josephine Baker. These performers were all Black artists who were internationally renowned when they were in their prime.   I love to share this information with audiences, especially when I have an audience of children. I focus on basic information about who they were, what makes them matter in history, and some personal antidotes about their lives.  While I don't expect them to remember everything, I believe providing them with some historical context is essential.  I want to introduce these people by their names so that maybe, at some point, they'll be familiar with them if they ever hear them again. There's no quiz at the end of my show, but it's helpful to introduce these performers and their contributions.

When I discuss these performers, I focus on their careers and successes. I also make a point of not overlooking the racism they faced in their careers, highlighting their individual stories of overcoming the instances of racism they had to deal with during the Jim Crow era in the United States.

During one of my recent camp shows, I shared an image of Josephine Baker with the kids in the show.  As I talked about her life story and the challenges she encountered due to racism, a young African American boy raised his hand with a curious expression on his face. I had a moment of anticipation as I wondered what he wanted to say. These instances often occur in shows where I anticipate whether a child's comment will be relevant to the discussion or if it will veer off course, prompting me to steer the conversation back to the topic of Josephine Baker. 

He had an earnest look as though he was pondering something very significant. I could sense that he was on the verge of saying something. He really wanted to express himself. So... I stopped talking and paused for a moment. Then, I  asked him if you had a question. He slowly put down his hand,  then paused for a second, searching for the right words. Then he asked, "Wasn't she a spy during World War II?" 

His question stopped me in my tracks.

I had only been talking about her for about a minute. I had just mentioned that she was from St. Louis, started her career as a dancer, and later moved to France due to the discrimination she faced in the United States. My next comment was going to be about her activities as a spy for the French government against the Nazis during World War II. However, before I could say another word, a 10-year-old boy eagerly raised his hand, and he beat me to that point.

"Yes", I said, "you are correct. Josephine Baker did do some spying for the French government against the Nazis during World War II.

I've added this boy to the list of people who inspire me.