A new book claims that William Shakespeare was actually a Black Jewish woman of North African descent. A new book is challenging centuries of literary history with the provocative claim that William Shakespeare was actually a Black Jewish woman of North African descent. The book suggests that the “Stratford man” we recognize today as the Bard was an uneducated interloper and moneylender who took credit for Bassano’s genius. Addressing the existing portraits of Bassano that show a light-skinned woman, the book argues that Elizabethan portraitists likely lightened her skin to conform to contemporary beauty standards. The consensus remains that Shakespeare is not a black womanThe academic consensus remains firmly rooted in the historical William Shakespeare, born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 05, 2026 11:30 UTC