O Slavery Abolition Day and Black Consciousness Day are important dates for Brazilian history and deal with racism and the fight against slavery. Still, the two dates are seen differently by the black movements from Brazil.
May 13th is a date that emphasizes the need to fight racism, since abolition does not it was accompanied by improvements for blacks in Brazil, who were still excluded from the abolition process.
Black Consciousness Day, in turn, is a date of struggle but also of celebration, as it highlights the role of blacks in the formation of Brazil, in addition to its leading role in the fight against racism and slavery. This date, celebrated on November 20, commemorates the death of Zumbi dos Palmares, leader of Quilombo dos Palmares, in 1695.
Read too:After all, what is racism?
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary
- 2 - Is there a difference in the celebrations of the Day for the Abolition of Slavery and the Day of Black Consciousness?
- 3 - What was the abolition of slavery?
- 4 - What is Black Consciousness Day?
Summary
May 13th is not a celebration date for black movements in Brazil.
November 20th is the date preferred by black movements to celebrate black culture and history in Brazil.
Abolition is seen critically, as it erased the struggle of blacks against slavery and because it did not promote improvements in the lives of these people in Brazil.
Black Consciousness Day commemorates the death of Zumbi dos Palmares, on November 20, 1695.
Black Consciousness Day is a public holiday in many Brazilian cities.
Is there a difference in the celebrations of the Day for the Abolition of Slavery and the Day of Black Consciousness?
The Day for the Abolition of Slavery, celebrated on May 13th, and Black Consciousness Day, celebrated on November 20th, are important dates in the Brazilian calendar and date back to important events in Brazilian history. The first refers to the prohibition of slavery in Brazil, through the Lei Áurea, and the second refers to the death of Zumbi dos Palmares.
In both cases, the dates relate to slavery in Brazil and the struggle of the black population against this institution that existed for more than 300 years. Although the dates deal with the struggle of blacks against slavery and racism in Brazil, the black moves to the see differently.
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First, Slavery Abolition Day dates back to the decree of the Lei Áurea, on May 13, 1888. This law, signed by Princess Isabel, determined the end of slavery in Brazil without the owners of slaves receiving compensation from the State. It is estimated that 720,000 enslaved people received their freedom under this law.
O May 13, in turn, came to be seen as a date of struggle and not of celebration.. This is because the entire struggle of blacks to end slavery suffered a strong erasure in the historical memory of Brazilians. To the black personalities engaged in abolitionism were forgotten and the struggle of blacks, enslaved or freed, was largely forgotten as well.
Furthermore, the abolition of slavery was not accompanied by any action by the Brazilian government to ensure the integration of blacks into society. As a result, this portion remained marginalized, having no access to education or land, and with very limited job opportunities.
In this way, May 13 came to be seen as a date that, in addition to erasing the protagonism of black people, continued the racism in force against them, despite the change it also caused. It is an important and symbolic date, but considered a moment of struggle and not exactly celebration.
O November 20th was established by the black movements of Brazil as a more appropriate date to celebrate them and promote the fight against racism. It is considered a day of struggle, since Brazil needs to walk a lot in relation to racism. This day is also seen as a reminder of black leadership in the fight against slavery and racism in Brazil.
In addition, the November 20th came to establish new black heroes, as Zumbi dos Palmares, leader of Quilombo dos Palmares, a symbol of the struggle and autonomy of black people in Brazil.
Read too: Dandara dos Palmares — one of the warrior leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares
What was the abolition of slavery?
The abolition of slavery, as mentioned, determined, on May 13, 1888, the end of slavery in Brazil, freeing all those enslaved in the national territory. Their former owners received no compensation and around 720,000 slaves gained their freedom with the Lei Áurea.
This law was signed by Princess Isabel, Princess Regent of Brazil, as her father, D. Pedro II, was traveling to Europe. The signing was received with celebration by the population, as it materialized a popular struggle that dragged on for decades, especially in 1880.
This movement was operated by the enslaved themselves, who fled and rebelled, but also by the abolitionist movement, which used different strategies to strengthen the cause. The population, especially those in the main cities, also supported the end of slavery. At the end, abolition was inevitable and ended up being the solution adopted by the monarchy.
Blacks received no support, as mentioned, and continued to suffer from racism and lack of opportunities. To learn more about the abolition process, click here.
What is Black Consciousness Day?
Black Consciousness Day is a commemorative date that exists in Brazil and that seeks to celebrate black culture and its importance in the formation of our country, just as it is a moment to remember the entire struggle of black people against slavery and the racism established in our society.
this date is celebrated on November 20, the day Zumbi dos Palmares was killed, in 1695. Zumbi was one of the leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares, the largest in Brazilian history and known for resisting Portuguese attacks for about a century. This date was suggested by black movements as a counterpoint to the celebration of May 13th.
The date was officially given as commemorative in 2011 and is consideredThe holiday in some cities in Brazil.To learn more about her, click here.
By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher
Learn more about May 13th, known as the Day for the Abolition of Slavery in Brazil. Understand how this process was in the 19th century.
Visit to find out why Black Consciousness Day is celebrated on November 20th. Understand who Zumbi was and see how racism is present in our daily lives.
Find out with this text more details about how the abolition of slavery took place in Brazil at the end of the 19th century. Also understand what the abolitionist laws were.
Click on the link and access this text to learn more about the changes that took place in the lives of black people after the abolition of slavery.
Understand what black consciousness is and the place and importance of this idea in a world with so much racial inequality. See also the origin of this term in Brazil.
Get to know the life of Dandara dos Palmares. Find out who it was, what we know about her life and how she died.
Access the link to understand why the Lei Áurea received that name. Understand the historical narrative that sought to erase the black role in the abolitionist struggle.
Access this text to find out more information about the largest quilombo that existed in Brazil and that was built in the region of Alagoas: Quilombo dos Palmares.
Read this text about the life and death of Zumbi dos Palmares, one of the leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares — the largest quilombo in Brazilian history.
