Ruth de Souza

Ruth de Souza (May 12, 1921 – July 28, 2019) was a Brazilian actress. As a member of the Black Experimental Theater (Teatro Experimental do Negro, TEN), she is one of the first black actresses in dramatic theater in Brazil and one of the first to perform at the Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. The Black Experimental Theater was created in 1944 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to combat racism and create opportunities for black talent in theater. Along with Arinda Serafim, Ilena Teixeira, and other black women, Ruth participated in the premiere performance of TEN as a member of the chorus and later played the Native Woman, the only female character in Eugene O'Neill's play The Emperor Jones. She died in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro in July 2019 at the age of 98.