Bricktop

From Brea Baker, the award-winning author of The Rooted, comes an inspiring and rich exploration of the life of Ada “Bricktop” Smith, unearthing the political and social context of her rise to fame as a self-made businesswoman, entertainer and socialite in pre-WWII Paris.

What do Duke Ellington, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Josephine Baker have in common? They all owe a piece of their success to one extraordinary woman: Ada “Bricktop” Smith.

From Depression-era Chicago to the glittering cabarets of Jazz Age Paris, Bricktop’s life was a testament to resilience, ambition, and reinvention. She was a self-made businesswoman, entertainer, and socialite who defied the odds stacked against her as a Black woman in the early 20th century. Bricktop’s Parisian nightclub became the beating heart of the Negro Renaissance in Europe, drawing luminaries like Langston Hughes, Cole Porter, Pablo Picasso, and even royalty like Edward VIII.

This biography unearths the untold story of a woman who lived life on her own terms, navigating a world dominated by white supremacy and patriarchy with grace, wit, and determination. From mentoring a young Duke Ellington and inspiring F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, to guiding Josephine Baker through her meteoric rise, Bricktop’s influence shaped the cultural landscape of her time.

But how did a Black woman born in West Virginia and raised in Chicago achieve such global success? And why has her name been relegated to the margins of history? Through rich storytelling and historical context, Bricktop retraces her steps, exploring her legacy and what it reveals about race, gender, and power in the 20th century.

A century after her peak, Bricktop’s story challenges us to imagine how we, too, might reimagine our place in the world.

Brea Baker is a writer, historian, and community organizer who uses her pen as a vehicle for radical imagination. With a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University, Brea believes deeply in the need for nuanced storytelling and Black culture as tools for change. As a writer, Brea has commented on race, gender, and sexuality for publications like Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Refinery29 Unbothered, Coveteur, Mission Magazine, Parade, Them, Gal-dem (UK), and more. Her book, Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft & The Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership, was published by One World (an imprint of Penguin Random House).

Brea has essays published in anthologies like Our History has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies & Devin Allen's No Justice, No Peace. In 2022, she was the host of Disney+ Bridging The Gap, a series on diversity and inclusion in animation. For her work in coalition with other activists and organizers, Brea Baker has been recognized as a 2023 Creative Capital awardee, a 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year, and 2019 i-D Up and Rising. Brea has spoken globally about racial justice and coalition building towards a more equitable future including the United Nations' Girl Up Initiative, Duke University, Yale Law School, the University of Chicago, the University of Southern California, Youth 2 Youth Summit in Hong Kong, Pace Gallery, Museum of City of New York, and more.

• Publisher: Amistad/ HarperCollins
  
• Publish Date: Aug 10, 2027
  
• Pages: 288
  
• Language: English
  
• Type: Hardcover
  
• EAN/UPC: 9780063476844
  
• Dimensions: 9.4 in H | 6.3 in W | 1.1 in T | 0.07 lb Wt
  
• BISAC: Biography & Autobiography / African American & Black
  Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts
  Social Science / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / American Studies / African American & Black Studies
  Biography & Autobiography / Fashion
  Biography & Autobiography / Women
  History / Europe / France
  Literary Criticism / European
  Performing Arts / Dance
  Biography & Autobiography / Music
  Literary Criticism / Modern / 20Th Century