The Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels celebrated the 250th birthday of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. They commemorated the event by posting an image of the composer as a black man. The image was a still from a video entitled “Black Beethoven,” where it shows the composer with dreadlocks. “Happy birthday, Ludwig van Beethoven! Today the world celebrates the 250th birthday of a musical icon. In the midst of all the celebrations, the Exhibition: Hotel Beethoven has opened its doors where you can join the festivities until the 17th of January,” read the post.

There was an explanation about the video from which the still came from. “Adkins’ video ‘Synapse’ was developed as a part of his ‘Black Beethoven’ series, which explores the myth of Ludwig von Beethoven being black, as he had Moorish ancestry. In the work, Adkins presents a portrait of the iconic composer that slowly morphs into a young black man with short dreadlocks and back again. The repeated transformation of the image conveys Adkins’s unwillingness to settle the debate on Beethoven’s race. He explained, “I hope to generate a sense of seeking in the audience… You can then fill in the gaps and participate in history in your own way.”

As expected, the post drew a lot of criticism. People pointed out that the claims that Beethoven was black have been debunked, and it is only promoted by fringe groups that claim major historical figures are black. In response to the criticisms, the center said that they are aiming to “be a place of art and culture open to all audiences, reflecting the diversity of Brussels and our society.”

The entertainment industry has been fueling conspiracy theories about major historical persons being persons of color by casting people of color in roles that portray historical figures who are actually white. Back in 2018, BBC cast black actors for roles in their adaptation of the Iliad. Channel 5 in the U.K. also chose a black actress to play the historical Anne Boleyn in a tv drama.

This is part of the attempt to rewrite history and to erase the contribution of white men.