ST. LOUIS - It was announced Wednesday that memorabilia of the world-renowned and St. Louis native Josephine Baker will be preserved right in her home city.

According to officials, collections of artifacts "will soon become the steward of an extraordinary private collection" due to St. Louis philanthropist---most known for saving The Fabulous Fox in the 1980s---Mary Strauss' charitable bequest.

Josephine Baker was born and raised during her childhood in St. Louis in the early 1900s. Not only was she the highest-paid entertainer at one point in Europe, but she became a vital piece to uncovering the secrets of Nazi Germany during World War II. Notes and hidden documents led to her recognition with the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) and the Legion of Honour with the rosette of the Resistance, which are considered to be the two highest military honors in France.

Soon, the public will be able to see the memorabilia that embodied her life. Some items include a performance costume, plywood theater cutout from one of her 1930s films, a portrait of Baker in her prime, and more, according to the Missouri Historical Society.

“Josephine Baker was an extraordinary artist and human being,” Mary Strauss said. “It’s been one of my life’s great joys to amass and care for this collection. I feel so fortunate to have items that capture her at her zenith – programs, posters, photographs, a costume, and Bakerfix items to name but a few – each one reflecting a different side of her brilliance. I’m thrilled that they’ll one day belong to the people of St. Louis.”

Parts of the collections were previously at France's Pantheon in 2021 honoring Baker's induction as well as in the St. Louis Sound exhibit in the Missouri History Museum in 2023.

“We are deeply honored that Mary Strauss chose the Missouri Historical Society to protect, preserve, and share this remarkable collection,” President and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society, Jody Sowell, said. “This gift reflects exactly what we strive to do at the Missouri Historical Society: preserve St. Louis’ unique history and connect it to broader national and global narratives. Josephine Baker’s story is a powerful example of how someone from St. Louis helped shape the world."

Artifacts will be professionally preserved and added into future exhibits, research, and educational programming, including a major exhibit "Mill Creek: Black Metropolis" which is set to open in November to focus on Baker's original neighborhood that was erased by urban renewal, according to the release. Additionally, stories and collections will be featured in a 2027 gallery as well as a temporary show on Baker in 2028.