Exhibition explores connection between Black women and the works of Shakespeare
Channel: PBS NewsHour
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Read a transcript preview of “Exhibition explores connection between Black women and the works of Shakespeare” from PBS NewsHour, uploaded on 2026-10-16.
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Language: English (creator captions)
[0:00] The Folger Shakespeare Library's newest exhibit maps an unlikely
[0:03] historical connection between black women and the works of William
[0:07] Shakespeare over a period of more than 450 years.
[0:10] Nearly 100 objects document the stories of renowned scholars, popular
[0:14] actors, and little known historic figures. I sat down with exhibit
[0:18] curator and the director of the Folger Institute, Patricia Akimi,
[0:22] who spoke about the exhibit which opens today. It's part of our arts
[0:26] and culture series Canvas.
[0:29] Patricia Akimi, welcome to the Newshour. Thank you.
[0:32] I have to confess this was not a connection I'd ever really considered.
[0:35] Black women and Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote so specifically about
[0:38] his time and place 400 years ago, and you've traced this extraordinary
[0:43] line between his work and black women across centuries. How did those
[0:47] two become intertwined. This is a