Shakespeare is often viewed as "white property"

• it can be borrowed, but it needs to be treated carefully and then returned

• thinking about the number of scholars of color that lead discussions and research about Shakespeare

• Shakespeare is colonized, we need to de-colonize Shakespeare

  • understanding the language and using the language that serves our environment best

    • "speak easy" school work

    • we are in a revolutionary time, we must do revolutionary work

  • proto-colonial moment during Shakespeare's time

  • England is getting richer and more powerful

Shakespeare and race

• race is not a "topic", it is context. it is a condition of his writing and performance, much like the condition of our classrooms

  • Shakespeare's use of race can make the texts feel unaccessible for readers and performers

• Shakespeare is very aware of race and very aware of the ambitions of the queen re: slaves

• through his success he becomes "The Great White Bard"

  • he is acknowledged as a native legend in England and a creative genius

  • understanding the difference between "the Bard" of legend and the Shakespeare of the playhouse

• Playhouse Shakespeare

  • interesting stories

  • exploring race through his writing

• Example:

  • Juliet's beauty is described in terms of whiteness

    • blackness is used as a foil

    • re: accessibility

      • how do these descriptions change the relationship that Black actors/readers may have with Juliet? Does it change the way students can embrace the text?

      • How can students embrace a text that calls their body ugly? What is our job in that conversation/study?

Conversation: 

• What is Antiracism

  • define the term

    • understanding internalized, societal, systemic, and structural racism

  • connotations of antiracism? what is it presumed to mean?

  • what are some "red flag" words that we need to rephrase

    • racist

    • woke- alert to white supremacy

    • antiracism

    • privilege

    • critical race theory (CRT)

• Race Neutrality

  • "I don't see race", "I treat everyone the same"

• Identity activity

  • teachers should always participate in these activities as well

  • positionally chart

    • class, citizenship, ability, age, race, sexual orientation, cis/trans, gender

      • two boxes from each identity, two lines from each box

        • feelings, benefits, privileges, struggles, etc.