Black and white photo of a Black man in Jacobean costume. He has a black beard and moustache. He holds a scroll with one hand and with the other the handle of his sword, tucked into his belt.

Black and white photo of a Black man in Elizabethan costume. He has a black beard and holds a curved sword. There is a Roman urn and a pillar in the background.

Black and white photo of a Black man in Jacobean costume. He has a long white beard and reaches with his hand for something beyond the frame.

Happy birthday to Ira Aldridge (1807-1867) - the first Black theatre manager-actor in the UK.

Here he is playing the title role in Othello, Aaron in Titus Andronicus, and King Lear.

#IraAldridge #BlackArtist #Theatre #Actor #Othello #Aaron #Titus #KingLear #BlackTheatre #BlackLivesMatter