Black Movement

The dark movement is a phenomenon used in the form of different organizations to claim rights for the black population that suffers from racism in society.

In most countries where blacks were enslaved there was always an attempt to change the situation to which they were subjected.

Currently, the black movement is plural and brings together, in addition to agendas such as the fight against racism, different aspects such as feminism, the fight for LGBT rights and religious tolerance.

The black movement in Brazil has its roots in the very resistance to slavery that manifested itself through escapes, hunger strikes and rebellions.

The Black Movement in the Colonial Period

To escape forced labor, enslaved blacks fled and organized themselves into quilombos. There they lived free in communities that could house from a few families to hundreds of people.

The most emblematic Quilombo during the colonial period was the Quilombo dos Palmares. A large number of escaped slaves were concentrated there, who resisted Portuguese military onslaughts for a long time. It was led for a few years by Zumbi dos Palmares who would become a symbol for the black movement.

Likewise, captives gathered in brotherhoods such as Nossa Senhora do Rosário or São Benedito, to help each other in case of illness and guarantee a dignified burial.

We can highlight the Sociedade dos Desvalidos de Salvador, which functioned as a space for coexistence and assistance for blacks.

In addition to the Catholic religion, it is necessary to take into account that candomblé has never ceased to be practiced by black people. Thus, participating in the ceremonies, often carried out clandestinely, was a way of resisting the cultural changes brought about by slavery.

The Black Movement in the Empire

During the 19th century, with the growth of the abolitionist movement, black intellectuals began to edit newspapers and found cultural associations with the aim of claiming the end of slavery.

Writers such as José do Patrocínio, Luís da Gama and abolitionist societies organize themselves to demand the end of slave labor in the country.

In addition, the escapes, rebellions and associations of freedmen continued who gathered money to buy the freedom of those who remained enslaved.

One of the quilombos that stands out at this time will be Seixas, which will go down in history as Quilombo do Leblon. This brought together an expressive amount of slaves who cultivated and traded with the local inhabitants. One of their hallmarks was camellias, which quickly became a symbol of abolitionism.

There were also slaves who obtained their freedom in justice by proving that they had arrived in Brazil after the law or that they had been born after the law of the Free Womb. In short, the second reign was rich in black resistance movements against slavery.

The abolition of slavery in Brazil comes gradually and without compensation for slave owners. Nor was there any financial compensation for the freedmen or for social inclusion.

The Black Movement in the First Republic

During the First Republic, with the growth of cities, blacks gathered in cultural associations in order to maintain their traditions.

It must be remembered that these have always been regulated and were closely monitored by the police. After all, it was necessary to maintain the "order" that the Republic proclaimed and the blacks were the element that presented the most danger to provoke the "disorder".

A clear example of this is the mandatory registration for terreiros and candomblé houses. Even so, the ceremonies could be interrupted and violently dispersed by the police.

The press, on the other hand, will be a privileged place for the Brazilian black movement. We can mention the group of black intellectuals who joined together to found the newspaper "A Alvorada ", in 1907, in the city of Pelotas (RS).

In São Paulo, several periodicals appeared that dealt with recreational clubs and associations for blacks. Newspapers such as "O Clarim d’Alvorada " (1924-1932) or "Progress " (1928-1931) were important for the visibility of the Brazilian black population.

It will be art, however, that will have the greatest adhesion of blacks as a way of preserving their identity, while absorbing other influences. This is the case of the emergence of choro, the first Brazilian musical genre, and of ranchos and associations around samba.

In 1926, the Companhia Negra de Revista was created in Rio de Janeiro, made up of names such as Pixinguinha, Grande Otelo, Donga and many others. Formed entirely by black artists, the Company was a landmark in the dramatic arts in Brazil.

The Black Movement in the Vargas Era

However, the first exclusively political organization emerged with the Frente Negra Brasileira (FNB). Founded on September 16, 1931, in São Paulo, it aimed to denounce society's racism.

Edited the newspaper “A Voz da Raça” and became a political party in 1936. However, with the coup of 37, carried out by Getúlio Vargas, it was extinguished like all political parties of the period.

Despite the brief experience, it should be noted that blacks were involved in both left and right political movements.

In the field of arts, we cannot forget to mention the Teatro Experimental Negro , founded by Abdias Nascimento, in 1944, whose exponent was the actress Ruth Souza.

The Black Movement in the 1950s

Likewise, the history of black people becomes an object of academic study through the works of Florestan Fernandes, who makes contributions to the understanding of racism in Brazil.

It is important to remember the Afonso Arinos Law enacted in 1951. For the first time, discrimination based on race or color became a misdemeanor.

Although the law only contemplates crimes committed in public spaces, the Afonso Arinos Law came to show the hidden racism of Brazilian society.

The Black Movement in the 60s

At this time, the Brazilian black movement was influenced by the Civil Rights struggle in the United States. We have iconic figures like the Reverend Martin Luther King, who advocates for black inclusion through peaceful resistance.

The motto "Black is Beautiful " he valued the black aesthetic to the detriment of the white model. In this way, black men and women stop straightening their hair, dress in African motifs and start to enhance their phenotype instead of hiding it.

All of this will influence fashion and the perception that Brazilian blacks had of themselves as well.

On the other hand, leaders such as Malcon X and the "Black Panther" movement proposed the use of violence as a means to achieve greater participation in American society.

The Black Movement in the 70s

The 1970s will be marked by increased repression of left-wing political groups and intense political propaganda around the Economic Miracle.

In Rio de Janeiro, discussions on racial issues begin at the Center for Afro-Asian Studies, linked to the Cândido Mendes University.

Important groups such as SINBA (Brazil-Africa Exchange Society), IPCN (Black Culture Research Institute) and MNU (Unified Black Movement) will emerge from there.

The discussions were marked by the ideological polarity of the time. Thus, the debates were divided between the American references of the black movement and those who defended a rapprochement with Africa and its colonial liberation struggle.

In 1978, these organizations will leave the discussions restricted to their members to take to the streets. Thus, on July 7, the Black Movement Against Racial Discrimination appears on the steps of the Municipal Theater of São Paulo.

This movement was a milestone for black organizations in Brazil, as it brought them together around a single agenda.

Defying the dictatorship, blacks exposed racial and social prejudice, the wage gap, and also specific demands of women such as sexism on the streets.

Although many ruptures were registered among its members, the Unified Black Movement would carry out important demonstrations in favor of racial equality.

Through its mobilization, it would be able to transform various demands into laws such as the mandatory teaching of African History and the criminalization of racial discrimination.

The Black Movement in the 1980s

In order to promote the history and memory of black people, Ipeafro was created (Institute of Afro-Brazilian Research and Studies), in 1981, by Abdias Nascimento.

The Institute's mission is to value and disseminate African and black history in Brazilian schools by producing material and supports for teachers and students.

With the return of democracy and the discussion of a new Constitution for the country, the black movement gains strength. The government is also interested in promoting studies, institutes and laws that promote racial equality or at least reduce the gap between whites and blacks.

In this sense, in São Paulo, the state government created, in 1984, the first Council of Participation of the Black Community (CPDCN), by governor Franco Montoro.

The federal government instituted the Palmares Cultural Foundation in 1988, a very significant year, as the first centenary of the Lei Áurea was celebrated.

On the initiative of the Unified Black Movement, in 1986, during the National Conference of the Black in Brasília – DF, the proposal to make racial and ethnic prejudice a crime was implemented. Likewise, land titling of remaining Quilombos was requested.

In 1989, Law 7,716/1989 was enacted, on the initiative of deputy Alberto Caó, whose racial and ethnic discrimination became a crime. In 1997 and 2012, this law would be revised also incorporating religious intolerance or intolerance of national origin as a crime.

See also :Racial Democracy.

The Black Movement in the FHC government

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso established the Interministerial Working Group for the Valorization of the Black Population, on November 20, 1995.

This initiative was based on alarming data from IBGE and IPEA, regarding the deep socio-economic inequality between blacks and whites.

To commemorate this fact, on the same day representatives of various entities of the black movement promoted the Zumbi March, in Brasília, which was attended by 30 thousand people.

The Black Movement in Lula's government

The period in which President Lula held the presidency was marked by several achievements of civil society in general and of the black movement in particular.

In 2003, the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality (SEPIR) was created, whose mission was to promote mechanisms of social inclusion for the black population.

One of the flags of the black movement was the approval of racial quotas in federal educational institutions, which had already been applied in some states.

The "Lei das Quotas" was passed in 2006 and since then the increase in blacks and browns in federal universities has been visible.

The Black Movement in the 21st Century

In addition to the consecration, at the federal level, of the Quota Laws, the black movement has never been so plural. Based on the issue of combating racism, other discussions were opened, such as prejudice against black women, black homosexuals, black trans, etc.

Likewise, new discussions arise such as "cultural appropriation", "whitening" and the Christianization of Afro-Brazilian traditions such as capoeira and acarajé, which make black movements remain alert to their demands.

Another important discussion is the genocide of the black population, especially young people, who are the constant target of police raids.

New leaders and intellectuals have emerged as a result of the Quota Law. Among them, we can mention Djamila Ribeiro, Núbia Moreira and Rio de Janeiro councilor Marielle Franco (PSOL/RJ), brutally murdered because of her political struggles in March 2018.

Likewise, as in every democracy, there are blacks who do not align themselves with these positions. This is the case of São Paulo councilor Fernando Holliday (DEM/SP) who wants to revoke Black Consciousness Day.

Read more:

• African Culture
• Male Revolt
• Main Features of Afro-Brazilian Culture
• Women who made the history of Brazil
• Extraordinary Women Who Made History
• Congada
• Origin of Black Awareness Day
• Poems to reflect on Black Consciousness