OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in America, is sponsoring Le Art Noir on December 2, 2021, and will purchase the first From Paris with Love non-fungible token (NFT) created by internationally acclaimed artist Addonis Parker, which pays tribute to renowned entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker. The From Paris With Love NFT collection will premiere at the Le Art Noir event during Miami’s Art Basel week.
Josephine Baker represented #BlackGirlMagic long before Black Twitter made the term popular. Born in 1906, the year Black Wall Street was founded in the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was the first Black woman to become a world-famous entertainer. Her important works also include being a wartime hero, spy, and civil rights activist for Black Americans, including being the only official female speaker at the March on Washington, standing at the side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1951, Ms. Baker was offered $10,000 by the Copa City Club in Miami Beach, but she refused to perform for segregated audiences. The Copa eventually met her demands. Her insistence on mixed audiences helped to integrate live entertainment shows in Miami, Las Vegas, and other cities throughout the U.S.
On November 28, 2021, the painting by internationally acclaimed artist Addonis Parker, From Paris with Love, will be exhibited in the French Consulate in Miami after a one-night-only special unveiling at the National Hotel on Miami Beach.
On November 30, 2021, Ms. Baker will be celebrated in Paris, France. She will be honored at the Pantheon monument with a cenotaph and a plaque, the first Black woman to receive one of the highest honors in France.
On December 2, 2021, the From Paris with Love NFT collection will premiere at Le Art Noir, a unique multicultural exhibition of artists from around the globe during Art Basel Miami, at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Liberty City, Miami. OneUnited Bank will purchase the first NFT from the collection, with additional renditions made available to the public. The NFT premiere taking place in Miami is particularly significant as Josephine Baker is celebrated for her work in desegregating Miami clubs.
“I admire Josephine Baker’s strength at such a young age and how she stayed focused on her mission during her life. I’m motivated by the freedom that OneUnited gives me as an artist to protest for social change,” states Addonis Parker.
“Josephine Baker’s civil rights activism is an inspiration,” states Teri Williams, President & COO of OneUnited Bank. “We are proud to honor her legacy and build the new Black Wall Street.”
For updates on the collection, click here.
