The Row over a Black Woman Playing an African Pharaoh

There are Blacks in East and North Africa, always have been, just visit and see for yourself. Research the white washing of the 25th dynasty by French Egyptologists for further information. The reason the narrative is changing, is because we have science to prove that black history has been lost, stolen and strayed.

Recent depictions of Cleopatra as a black woman have sparked outrage among some Egyptians. But scholars and historians point out that the identity of Cleopatra’s mother is not known, and it is possible that she, or any other female ancestor, was an indigenous Egyptian or from elsewhere in Africa.

Further, no such divide exists in the history of the region. The ancient kingdom of Kush, located in what is now Sudan, was a powerful African civilization that was contemporaneous with Egypt, and the Nile connected the two.

The recent trope of Africa being divided by the Sahara desert is a colonial invention that does not reflect the history of the region.

The depictions of Cleopatra as a black woman is a reminder of the rich and varied sources of African heritage, and of the importance of accurately representing the history of people of color. It is also a reminder that history is complex and that we must be open to re-evaluating our understanding of the past as new evidence emerges.

Ultimately, it is up to viewers to decide if they would like to watch the series. But it is important to recognize that there is a long history of misrepresenting people of color in media, and that this series is an opportunity to challenge that narrative.

Adele James, the actress who stars as Cleopatra in the Netflix docuseries, addressed the backlash of her portrayal during a recent appearance on “The Wayne Ayers Podcast.”

“Blackwashing isn’t a thing, is it?” she said. “I find it sad that people are either so self-loathing or so threatened by Blackness that they feel the need to do that, to separate Egypt from the rest of the continent.”

The debate is not new. Cleopatra has been played by a variety of women, including Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 film. In 2020, there were complaints of “whitewashing” (when white actors are cast to play people of color) with news that Israeli-born actress and “Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot had been cast to play Cleopatra in a forthcoming film.

At the crux of the debate among historians has been whether Cleopatra, who hailed from a long line of Macedonian Greeks, would have darker skin because of her African ancestry. Those who support the belief that she did also point to the fact that Egypt is part of the continent of Africa and the fact that there is a long history of misrepresenting people of color in media.

Producers of the Netflix series addressed the royal’s ethnicity in an article posted last month on the Tudum site.

“Her ethnicity is not the focus of Queen Cleopatra, but we did intentionally decide to depict her of mixed ethnicity to reflect theories about Cleopatra’s possible Egyptian ancestry and the multicultural nature of Ancient Egypt,” they said.

Moreover, it is important to recognize that there is a long history of misrepresenting people of color in media and that the recent trope of Africa being divided by the Sahara desert is a colonial invention that does not reflect the history of the region, as is evidenced by the ancient kingdom of Kush, located in what is now Sudan, which was a powerful African civilization that was contemporaneous with Egypt.

The depictions of Cleopatra as a black woman is a reminder of the rich and varied sources of African heritage, and of the importance of accurately representing the history of people of color. It is also a reminder that history is complex and that we must be open to re-evaluating our understanding of the past as new evidence emerges.   Listen to Adele James discuss her role as Cleopatra on the James Wayne Ayers podcast below.