The African Roscius, Ira Aldridge
Never before have I read so monumental a work of art! Taking bits and pieces from the life of the actor/playwright Ira Aldridge, this brief testament to his life can only be described as an exceptional, enlightening experience.
The prose, the vocabulary, the juxtaposition of the words, the magnificent sentences demanding to be read more than once, and the play, “The Black Doctor” presented at the end, clearly define the achievements and travails Aldrich faced. The book can only be described with that one word, extraordinary.
This little book is not for everyone. It demands patience and thought, but it is worth the effort and the time it takes to absorb its full meaning. This memoir truly captures the ignominy of racism and its effect on a human being’s progress in an unjust world. Quintus Roscius Gallus was a famous actor, so renowned that his name became synonymous with excellence. Ira Aldridge was to become known as the African Roscius, because so great was his talent, He was able to overcome much of the racism that others dealt with daily; still, he could not overcome it all. However, his was a valiant and successful effort that proved that the malignant thoughts about the inability of people of color to perform well and successfully in the world, either intellectually or emotionally, was abjectly false. Sadly, it is a struggle that continues today. Read this book, presented with a bit of humor, as well as serious concern, and come away changed forever.