Ira Aldridge Makes London Debut as First Major Black Shakespearean Actor

Ira Aldridge, born in New York and trained at the African Free School, made his London debut at the Royalty Theatre in 1825. Unable to perform Shakespeare in the United States because of race, he built a celebrated career in Europe, becoming the first Black actor to win international renown for Shakespearean roles including Othello and King Lear.