Josephine Baker's Remains To Enter Panthéon Years After Death

Josephine Baker will become the first Black woman whose remains will be laid Panthéon mausoleum.

Years after her death, Baker will receive Paris' highest honor after the French president announced a special ceremony for the late performer.

As reported by Le Parisien newspaper on Sunday (Time Magazine), French President Emmanuel Macron said that the country will hold a ceremony for Baker in November. It will take place at the Pantheon monument in Paris, where the remains of Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, and the French philosopher Voltaire can be found.

Baker's body will then be moved from Monaco to the aforesaid monument during the event.

The newest milestone will lead her to become the first Black woman to enter the mausoleum.

People Approve Pantheonization of Josephine Baker

The new development came after a group started a campaign to induct her. Her son also met President Macron in July to discuss the plans.

One of the campaign's leaders, Jennifer Guesdon, recalled the great joy upon learning the news. Meanwhile, one of the president's aides said that Pantheonization needs to be created for a long time.

"She was an artist, the first Black international star, a muse of the cubists, a resistance fighter during the second world war in the French army, active alongside Martin Luther King in the civil rights fight," the petition said.

Her family began to campaign for the induction in 2013. As of the writing, it already received over 38,000 signatures.

The ceremony will soon give the late musician a French nationality. The Pantheon, in addition, is a type of memorial for the people who gave massive contributions to French history, including politics, science, and culture.

Baker joins the other four women out of the 80 figures in the Pantheon.

The event will happen decades after the death of the French civil rights activist in 1975. She died due to a cerebral hemorrhage that led to a stroke and claimed her life. She received a twenty-one gun salute during her funeral and saw thousands of people lined the streets to give her honor and tribute.

Days before her death, she was still able to perform in front of a sold-out crowd in Paris. She famously joined theatrical performances throughout her career before using her fame to fight against racism in the United States and fascism in Europe.