President Macron’s decision to honour a consummate black artist and civil rights activist sends an important message
Above the portico columns of the Panthéon in Paris, which was completed the year after the storming of the Bastille, a solemn inscription reads, “To Great Men From a Grateful Nation”. Well over 200 years later, the famous mausoleum remains overwhelmingly the resting place of male heroes of the French nation, from Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Jean Moulin. But on Tuesday they will be joined by a black female dancer, singer and civil rights activist from Missouri, who spent her life breaking down barriers of exclusion.
Emmanuel Macron’s timely decision to grant entry to Josephine Baker carries a potent symbolism, as currents of xenophobia course through the French body politic ahead of next spring’s presidential election. After enjoying an early rise in the polls, Éric Zemmour, the far-right television pundit and author, is expected to officially declare his candidacy next month. Mr Zemmour’s odious promotion of racial exclusivism has influenced the mainstream French right and is shaping the election campaign to a disturbing degree. The Élysée’s recognition of Baker – who fled segregated America for France in the 1920s – gestures towards a more generous, inclusive country. The admission of the first black woman into the Panthéon also offers an opportunity to reflect on one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th century.
