The trust, which manages historical buildings in Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, says it wants to create a “more inclusive museum experience.” It claims that some of its collections may contain language or depictions that are racist, sexist, or homophobic, and the depictions "benefits the ideology of white European supremacy."
This decision follows growing criticism of Shakespeare’s legacy, says the Daily Mail. Some of his works have been given trigger warnings for misogyny, racism, and what critics call “problematic racialized dynamics” that associate whiteness with beauty.
In 2022 a research project between the trust and Dr. Helen Hopkins at the University of Birmingham argued that Shakespeare’s reputation as a “universal” genius contributes to “the ideology of white European supremacy.” According to The Telegraph, the project suggested that portraying Shakespeare as a symbol of British cultural superiority has caused harm. The research recommended that the trust stop calling Shakespeare the “greatest” playwright and instead present him as part of a global community of writers.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has since received funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, which funds diversity and inclusion initiatives. Some of its recent programs have highlighted the work of Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore and included a Romeo and Juliet-inspired Bollywood dance workshop.
The trust also promised to remove supposed offensive language from its collections. These collections include archived material, literary criticism, books related to Shakespeare, and gifts from around the world given in his honor. A statement from the trust explained: “As part of our ongoing work, we've undertaken a project which explores our collections to ensure they are as accessible as possible.”
Efforts to “decolonise” Shakespeare has been growing in recent years. In 2021, The Globe Theatre launched a project examining whether his plays contribute to racism and white supremacy.
The London Theatre, a reconstruction of the Elizabethan playhouse where Shakespeare worked, has since hosted “anti-racist” seminars on the topic.
Some scholars argue that all of Shakespeare’s works are “race plays” because they contain “whiteness.” Meanwhile, a number of academics in the US have stopped teaching Shakespeare in schools, claiming that his works promote racism, white supremacy, and intolerance.
