To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare
To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare is a landmark exhibition curated by Dr. Patricia Akhimie, Director of the Folger Institute, that explores for the first time the centuries-long engagement of Black women with Shakespeare’s language, stories, and characters. Drawing on new research about the presence of Black women in early modern Europe, the exhibition also examines how they were represented—and misrepresented—by artists and writers of Shakespeare’s era, including Shakespeare himself, whose Sonnet 130 inspired the exhibition’s title. Featuring nearly 100 objects—photographs, playbills, posters, books, diaries, illustrations, and costumes—from the Folger collection and key loans, the show documents the work of Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Lorraine Hansberry, Mae Turner, Esther Rolle, Phillis Wheatley, and many others. As actors, scholars, authors, artists, musicians, directors, and more, Black women have used Shakespeare to shape careers, challenge exclusion, and insist upon their place in history; this exhibition invites visitors to listen closely to those voices.
When: October 16, 2026 through May 2, 2027.
Venue: Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Tickets: Pass information forthcoming; no price currently available.
Curator: Dr. Patricia Akhimie, Director of the Folger Institute.
Interpretive Consultant: Verónica E. Betancourt.
Research Fellows: Atesede Makonnen, Brandi K. Adams, Patricia Matthew, Joyce Green MacDonald, Kim F. Hall, Noémie Ndiaye.
Research Assistants: Cen Liu, Dalton Greene, Shanelle Kim, Anna Kutter, Tapiwa Gambura.
Audio Guide: Available through Bloomberg Connects, narrated by Shakespearean actress and director Adjoa Andoh MBE (the Folger’s inaugural Director’s Resident, best known as Lady Danbury on Netflix’s *Bridgerton*), with additional insights from Patricia Akhimie, Kim F. Hall, and Joyce Green MacDonald.
Exhibition Catalog: A full-color catalog from ACMRS Press, with essays by Patricia Akhimie, Verónica Betancourt, Kim F. Hall, Ayanna Thompson, and others; publishes on September 1, 2026.
Accessibility: The exhibition is housed in the Folger’s accessible Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall; an audio guide via Bloomberg Connects will support varied learning styles.
Support: Made possible by Daniel W. Hamilton and the Henry Luce Foundation.