The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-04
TITLED NEGROES.
There Arc Some Who Have Been Honoret
by Royalty.

by Royalty.
There have been many negroes in
Europe and the West Indies who have
received distinguished consideration in
the way of decorations from the
crowned heads of the old world. The
Black Roscius-Ira Aldridge-who
created such furore in Europe many
years ago as a tragedian, and who was
frequently carried from the theaters
in which he performed upon the shout
ders of his enthusiastic auditors to his
hotel. was loaded down with medals,
the insignias of various royal orders,
the gifts of kings and queens whom
he had charmed and delighted by his
magnificent representations of the char
ecters he assumed.
Aldridge was Maryland negro, and
first went to Europe some time in the
'4Os in the capacity Of valet to dis
tinguished American tragedian. who,
discovering his talents and bent OF
mind, encouraged him to become an
actor. He performed in the principal
him that when he played Iago, in the
city Of Moscow in Russia, a number of
students who had witnessed the per-
Torrance unhitched the horses from
the actors carriage after the play was
over and dragged him in triumph to
his lodgings. In Sweden and Germany
and England his name was a house
hold word. lie stood in the front rank
among the greatest actors of his day,
and the nobility of Europe held him
in the same regard and treated him
with the same consideration that
Americans bestow upon any great actor
who has made himself famous. Ira
Aldridge gave no performances in Eu-
rope which were not witnessed by one
or more me N bers of the royal family of
the country he was in. In personal
appearance he was very dark in COM
plexion, with full, round face. which
was covered with a closely-shaven
beard. He was nearly six feet in
height. He had large, lustrous eyes,
and a resonant voice, which he kept
under perfect control
AS Aaron. in Titus Andronicus, and
as the Moor, in "Othello." ne estab-
| lished his fame as the most realistic
actor who up to that period had ever
essayed those roles. The newspapers
of that period showered unstin ted
praise upon this remarkable negro,
and he was lionized in fashionable So
ciety and feted by the nobility; tho
king of Sweden knighted him and the
| emperor of Russia conferred decora-
| ton upon him His medals and deco
| rations from other personages were
| estimated at the time of his death,
1867, to be worth over two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. A.
bridge owned nine villas situated in
various parts of Europe. and each of
them was handsomely furnished. His
principal residence was la the city OF
London, England, where he enter
tanned in a royal manner the legions OF
friends who sought his company and
that of his charming wife, Swedish
baroness, by whom he had three chill
dren- He died in 1851 as Sir H. Al
| bridge, K c. NJ. and a host OF other
titles given him At various times
An article in Wilkes Spirit OF The
Times for 1859, among other things. in
speaking of Aldridge, says that he
was one of the most polished and mod
est of men, thoroughly refined unos-
tentatious and unobtrusive in speech
| and manner
In 1877 Edward Wilmot Blyden. g
| fuu-bioo6ed negro. born in the Danish
West Indies, was appointed By the
president OF the republic Of Lioeria
minister plenipotentiary Of that GOV
eminent Ct the court of - James and
was received with marked considers
rion By her gracious majesty, Queen
Victoria, a. Osborne, July 80. ls7s
The marquis of Salisbury. a. tEat tiEss
secretary OF state for foreign affair
and now prime minister 81 England
introduced DR.. Blyden 70 her majesty.
DR.. Blyden was soon after elected AZ
honorary member 81 the aristoc-at.c
Athenaeun club Of London He IS e.
author and linguisi % worldwide rep
utation-
Qaeen Victoria has recently COZ
ferred the Victoria Cross upon coal
! black negro. a corocrai N ore OF Tia