Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Josephine Baker: Jazz Age Superstar to WW2 Spy

Josephine Baker was one of the most extraordinary people of the 20th century - and the first black woman honoured in the French Panthéon in 2021. From an early life of poverty in St. Louis, America, to being a superstar singer, actress and dancer, to being a spy as part of the resistance against the Nazis.  For today’s episode, we’re sharing an episode from our sister podcast Dan Snow’s History Hit, where Dan is in conversation with Monique Y. Wells to discuss the life of Josephine Baker.  Monique is the co-founder of Entrée to Black Paris and a contributor on Paris’ Black history and culture.  This podcast was edited by Stuart Beckwith and Dougal Patmore. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.  Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="https://access.historyhit.com/checkout/subscribe/receipt?code=betwixt&amp;plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BETWIXT</a>. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at <a href="http://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">historyhit.com/subscribe</a>. You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Why did kings and queens have spectators on their wedding night? Who had the very first boob job? And did our ancestors have their unmentionables pierced? Join historian, Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets as she unashamedly roots around the topics which seem to have been skipped in history class. Everything from landmark LGBTQ+ court cases, to political scandal, to downright bizarre medieval cures for impotence. The etymology of swear words, gender bias in medicine, and satanic panic and cults - there’s nothing off limits. She'll be bed-hopping around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed. So join Kate Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &amp; Society - a podcast from History Hit. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">historyhit.com/subscribe</a>. You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.