My dear francophiles, francovorous and francophageous friends, do you know that the Franco-Americans have heroes? That there are some people who represent more than anything the link between France and America?

One of them is featured in the new episode of Rendez-Vous D’Amérique: Josephine Baker. She sang so well that she had two loves, her country and Paris. She will be inducted in the Pantheon in Paris on November 30^th not only because of her unbelievable career in entertainment, but also because she joined the French Resistance right at the beginning of World War II, fought for Civil Rights in America and contributed discretely to important philanthropic work. To celebrate her illustrious career, there will be a unique event in Miami on November 28^th, an evening of songs and dances inspired by Josephine. She is the perfect example of personalities that had one foot in France and the other in America and was a huge influence in both countries.

She wasn’t the only one. From the historical origins of the United States of America to the most recent Hollywoodian red carpet, from the Marquis de Lafayette to Timothée Chalamet, there have always been historical personalities or entertainment celebrities that split their lives between France and America. It’s important, and their historical actions or artistic accomplishments have cemented in their own way the already strong relationship between our two countries.

But don’t we all do that, on our own level, every day? I mean us as in expatriates. When we take our kids to U.S. schools every morning, when we share our thoughts with our co-workers at the office, when we enrich each other’s culture by bringing a French film, song or play on an American screen or stage (and vice versa, of course). When a French Chef infuses French taste in the kitchen of a New York restaurant, when a French kid talks about his favorite French soccer player to his school buddies at recess, etc., every single day, just by interacting with each other, we do reinforce the French American link.

We are, without noticing it, following the path of someone who did so much for our two countries, one of the greatest women of the 20^th century, Madame Josephine Baker.

To learn more about French culture in America, tune in to Rendez-vous d’Amérique on TV5MONDE USA. Click here for more information.

Exploring cultural diversity through film, art, and so much more, Rendez-vous d'Amérique invites you on a journey to discover Francophone culture in America. Your host on this cultural experience is Didier Allouch - reporter, cinephile, and a familiar face on the red carpet. Click here to learn how you can subscribe to TV5MONDE USA and never miss an episode!