Blue plaque for first black actor

Chantal Da Silva 

Britain’s first black Shakespearean actor has been honoured with the unveiling of a blue plaque in Coventry. Ira Aldridge became manager of the Coventry Theatre in 1828, after impressing the city’s residents with his acting talent on a tour.

  The actor, who died 150 years ago, put on performances that are believed to have inspired the people of Coventry to petition Parliament to abolish slavery.

  Aldridge was honoured by the city of Coventry, with the Lord Mayor Tony Skipper unveiling a blue plaque celebrating his legacy as the UK’s first black theatre manager.

  “It’s very important,” Professor Tony Howard, who leads Warwick University’s Multicultural Shakespeare project. 

  “He’s been admired and respected for a long time as the first black Shakespearean actor, but many people are less aware of the fact that he had also been the first black theatre manager.”

The ceremony marked the 150th anniversary of his death and was attended by actor Earl Cameron, who is widely celebrated as one of the first black actors to break the “colour bar” in the UK.

Cameron was also trained by Aldridge’s daughter Amanda and was invited as a guest of honour at the plaque unveiling.

Aldridge was born in New York in 1807 and worked as an actor in the US until the 1920s when he migrated to England after being brutally beaten in racist attacks. 

  He rose to fame in the UK, managing to break down racial barriers, playing principal roles, including Romeo, Hamlet, Othello and later on, King Lear.

The actual theatre that Aldridge managed was demolished long ago, but the permanent memorial will mark the site where it would have stood.

 “It’s a reminder of the fact that cities come and cities go; they go through periods of strength and depression. That’s why we have to honour those moments, when people do the unexpected,” Professor Howard said.

“I think the city is very proud and very happy,” he added.

Aldridge has already been honoured with a blue plaque in the London borough of Bromley at a home where he once lived as part of the English Heritage scheme.

The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s globe will also be honouring the actor with an event called “Against Prejudice: A celebration of Ira Aldridge” on September 19. 

—   The Independent