Ira Aldridge

Ira Frederick Aldridge was born in New York City on July 24, 1807. At the age of 13, he went to the African Free School in New York City, established by the New-York Manumission Society for the children of free black people and slaves. They were given a classical education, with the study of English grammar, writing, mathematics, geography, and astronomy.

Aldridge’s first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the African Company, a group founded and managed by William Henry Brown and James Hewlett. In 1821, the group built the African Grove Theatre, the first resident African-American theatre in the United States. The short-lived company was the subject of protests by neighbors, attacks by a rival company.

Facing discrimination in America, he left in 1824 for England and made his debut at London’s Royal Coburg Theatre. As his career grew, his performances of Shakespeare’s classics eventually met with critical acclaim and he subsequently became the manager of Coventry’s Theatre Royal. From 1852, Aldridge regularly toured much of Continental Europe and received top honours from several heads of state.

In 1865 he married his second wife Amanda von Brandt with whom he had children, Irene, Ira, Amanda and Rachael.  All but Rachael went on to have careers in music. Rachael died in infancy. Aldridge was known as a British actor, playwright, and theatre manager, known for his portrayal of Shakespearean characters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Aldridge

Ira Frederick Aldridge was born in New York City on July 24, 1807. At the age of 13, he went to the African Free School in New York City, established by the New-York Manumission Society for the children of free black people and slaves. They were given a classical education, with the study of English grammar, writing, mathematics, geography, and astronomy.

Aldridge’s first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the African Company, a group founded and managed by William Henry Brown and James Hewlett. In 1821, the group built the African Grove Theatre, the first resident African-American theatre in the United States. The short-lived company was the subject of protests by neighbors, attacks by a rival company.

Facing discrimination in America, he left in 1824 for England and made his debut at London’s Royal Coburg Theatre. As his career grew, his performances of Shakespeare’s classics eventually met with critical acclaim and he subsequently became the manager of Coventry’s Theatre Royal. From 1852, Aldridge regularly toured much of Continental Europe and received top honours from several heads of state. Aldridge was known as a British actor, playwright, and theatre manager, known for his portrayal of Shakespearean characters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Aldridge

Nzinga Mbande was born into the ruling family of Ndongo in 1583 in Central West Africa. Nzinga received military and political training as a child, and she also became an ambassador to the Portuguese Empire. She was a Southwest African ruler who ruled as queen of the Ambundu Kingdoms of Ndongo (1624–1663) and Matamba (1631–1663), located in present-day northern Angola.

She was the daughter of Ngola Kilombo of Ndongo. Her mother, Kengela ka Nkombe, was one of her father’s slave wives and his favorite concubine. According to legend, the birthing process was very difficult for Kengela, her mother; Njinga received her name because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck (the Kimbundu verb kujinga means to twist or turn).

Children of the royal household who survived difficult or unusual births were believed to possess spiritual gifts, and some saw their births as an indicator the person would grow to become a powerful and proud person. Njinga had two sisters, Kambu, or Lady Barbara and Funji, or Lady Grace. She also had a brother, Mbandi, who was heir apparent to throne.

The Portuguese first came to Ndongo in 1575 when they established a trading post in Luanda. By the 1580s, large parts of Ndongo had fallen under Portuguese control, who burned villages and took hostages who later turned into slaves. Nzinga’s father, Ngola Kilombo Kia Kasenda became the king of Ndongo in 1583. He had a difficult time fighting the Portuguese  and other local kingdoms who tried to take over.

As an ambassador, Nzinga tried to negotiate peace with the Portuguese. She demanded that Portugal remove the forts built inside Ndongan territory and was adamant that Ndongo would not pay tribute to Portugal, noting that only conquered peoples paid tribute and her people had not been defeated. As a power play, the Portuguese would not give her a chair during negotiations. Members of her party would form a human chair so that she was always on the same level as her counterparts.

Nzinga assumed power over Ndongo after the death of her father and brother, who both served as kings, and she went on to conquer Matamba. To weaken the Portuguese colonial administration, Nzinga dispatched messengers (makunzes) to encourage Mbande slaves to flee Portuguese plantations and join her kingdom. This strengthen her kingdom as the escapees joined her kingdom.

She ruled during a period of rapid growth in the African slave trade by the Portuguese Empire in South West Africa. Nzinga fought for the independence of her kingdoms against the Portuguese in a reign that lasted 37 years. She died in 1663.

She is remembered  as the Mother of Angola, the fighter of negotiations. Statues were made in her honor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba

Nzinga Mbande was born into the ruling family of Ndongo in 1583 in Central West Africa. Nzinga received military and political training as a child, and she also became an ambassador to the Portuguese Empire. She was a Southwest African ruler who ruled as queen of the Ambundu Kingdoms of Ndongo (1624–1663) and Matamba (1631–1663), located in present-day northern Angola.

She was the daughter of Ngola Kilombo of Ndongo. Her mother, Kengela ka Nkombe, was one of her father’s slave wives and his favorite concubine. According to legend, the birthing process was very difficult for Kengela, her mother; Njinga received her name because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck (the Kimbundu verb kujinga means to twist or turn).

Children of the royal household who survived difficult or unusual births were believed to possess spiritual gifts, and some saw their births as an indicator the person would grow to become a powerful and proud person. Njinga had two sisters, Kambu, or Lady Barbara and Funji, or Lady Grace. She also had a brother, Mbandi, who was heir apparent to throne.

The Portuguese first came to Ndongo in 1575 when they established a trading post in Luanda. By the 1580s, large parts of Ndongo had fallen under Portuguese control, who burned villages and took hostages who later turned into slaves. Nzinga’s father, Ngola Kilombo Kia Kasenda became the king of Ndongo in 1583. He had a difficult time fighting the Portuguese  and other local kingdoms who tried to take over.

As an ambassador, Nzinga tried to negotiate peace with the Portuguese. She demanded that Portugal remove the forts built inside Ndongan territory and was adamant that Ndongo would not pay tribute to Portugal, noting that only conquered peoples paid tribute and her people had not been defeated. As a power play, the Portuguese would not give her a chair during negotiations. Members of her party would form a human chair so that she was always on the same level as her counterparts.

Nzinga assumed power over Ndongo after the death of her father and brother, who both served as kings, and she went on to conquer Matamba. She ruled during a period of rapid growth in the African slave trade by the Portuguese Empire in South West Africa. Nzinga fought for the independence of her kingdoms against the Portuguese in a reign that lasted 37 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba