The African Roscius

<p>Beginning with his autobiographical sketch <i>Memoir and Theatrical Career of Ira Aldridge</i> <i>The African Roscius</i> follows Aldridge's journey as a Black man who obtained and maintains among Europeans...a reputation whose acquisition demands the highest qualities of the mind and the noblest endowments of the person. Making it a lifetime goal to use his success and influence to speak on the horrors of slavery in America and abroad; this memoir is addressed to what he hopes to be an enlighted reader and details how he rose to fame as a Shakeperian actor in spite of the racism and prejudice he faced as a Black man in theater. <p>This edition also includes Aldridge's 1847 translation of Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois's<i>Le Docteur Noir</i> (<i>The Black Doctor</i>). At the age of forty Aldridge adapted the play about a hidden romance between a formerly enslaved doctor and the daughter of a French aristocrat and was said to have brought dignity to a role that traditionally ended in tragedy for its bi-racial lead.<p> Together these two pieces paint a stunning portrait of one of the first great Black actors. One part memoir and one part translation <i>The African Roscius</i> is an exceptional piece of Black history professionally typeset and reimagined for modern readers. </p> <p>Since our inception in 2020 <b>Mint Editions</b> has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.</p> <p>With thousands of titles in our collection we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.</p>