Frankie Baker

St. Louis Globe-Democrat

1899
1942-02-13

picture

Baker, Frankie
African American women
African Americans--Songs and music
African Americans

Saint Louis (Mo.)

1890-1899

At left is the way Frankie Baker appeared back in 1899 when she shot Allen (Johnny) Brit, the murder on which she claims the famous Frankie and Johnny ballad was based. At the right is the way Frankie appeared yesterday when she arrived in St. Louis to press her $200,000 character defamation suit against a film company for a movie version of the murder. (Feb. 13, 1942)

Unheralded then and unknown today, a turn-of-the-century black St. Louis musician took the Targee Street boarding house shooting of Albert (or Allen) Britt and created an epic tragedy-ballad of star-crossed lovers. (Feb. 20, 1979)

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GDPS001254. Baker, Frankie of Frankie and Johnny Song. Death 1-10-52

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