“One God, one aim, one destiny” - Duse Mohamed Ali
(Duse Mohamed Ali)
Duse Mohamed Ali was born on November 21st, 1866 in Alexandria, Egypt. At age 9 his father arranged for him to go to school in England. His father died in 1882. Ali was then forced to go back to Egypt. Ali then returned to England to finish his schooling. He then became an actor after graduating from the University of London.
(Ali after college)
Ali was in the company of Herbert Beerbohm Tree and in Lillie Langtry's production of “Antony and Cleopatra”. Ali toured the British isles as an actor. In 1902 he produced “Othello” and “The Merchant of Venice”.
(Ali in 1902)
In 1903 he wrote the play “The Jew’s Revenge”. In 1907 he wrote the play “A Cleopatra Night”. In 1909 he wrote the play “Lily of Bermuda”. Ali also toured in the US. Ali then founded the Hull Shakespeare Society. In 1912 Ali founded the journal African Times and Orient Review (ATOR) in London. The journal advocated Pan African nationalism. In 1915 Ali founded and was Secretary of the Indian Moslem Soldiers' Widows' and Orphans' War Fund. Ali mentored Marcus Garvey during Garvey’s visits to London. In 1918 the journal was banned by England in India and its African colonies. In 1921 Ali moved to the US. He briefly worked with Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association movement. He then moved to Nigeria. In 1932 Ali produced the play “A Daughter of Pharaoh”. In 1933 Ali began publication of “The Comet”, a weekly newspaper.
(Ali later in life)
On June 25th, 1945 Duse Mohamed Ali died of a protracted illness in Lagos, Nigeria. He was 78 years old. Today is the 71st anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great activist and playwright today.
Plays by Duse Mohamed Ali
- “The Jew's Revenge” (1903)
- “A Daughter of Judah” (1906)
- “A Cleopatra Night” (1907)
- “Lily of Bermuda” (1909)
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