Do we know whether the African characters in Shakespeare's plays were inspired by real-life encounters?
uring Shakespeare’s lifetime (1564-1616), African people were described as “Blackamoores”, “Aethiopians” or “Negroes”, and they made their homes throughout England and Scotland. Many were assimilated within English parishes, and forged relationships with white English people. While most Africans were integrated into the lower classes, some worked as merchants or artisans, soldiers or visiting dignitaries, connected to
