Celebrating Racial Equality and the Legacy of the Largest African Refuge in the Americas

On November 20, Brazil will mark its first national observance of Black Consciousness Day, a historic moment reflecting the country’s ongoing struggle for racial equality. This day commemorates the capture and death of Zumbi, the renowned leader of the Palmares quilombo, a vast independent community of escaped enslaved Africans that existed for nearly 100 years in the 17th century. At its peak, Palmares housed as many as 11,000 individuals in what historians consider the largest and most significant resistance movement against slavery in Brazil.

Zumbi’s death in 1695 at the hands of Portuguese colonial forces is a defining moment in Brazilian history. For centuries, Black movements have fought to honor Zumbi and the freedom fighters of Palmares. Black Consciousness Day, celebrated on this date, was established as a response to the glorification of Princess Isabel, the regent who signed the abolition of slavery in 1888. Activists wanted a date that would instead focus on the collective struggle for racial justice and Black inclusion.

The law declaring November 20 a national holiday was passed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in December 2023, despite resistance from conservative factions. Under the previous far-right government of Jair Bolsonaro, figures such as Sérgio Camargo, head of the Palmares Foundation, undermined the significance of the holiday, even questioning the existence of the Palmares quilombo and its leaders.

Today, Black Consciousness Day has gained popularity, with the entire month of November being informally recognized as Black Consciousness Month in Brazil. Major events, including a primetime special by Rede Globo, aim to reflect on the continued injustices faced by Black Brazilians, such as wrongful imprisonment and systemic racial inequalities.

The commemoration serves as a moment to reflect on Brazil’s Black history and the critical contributions of Black Brazilians in shaping the nation, emphasizing the need for ongoing efforts toward racial equity and inclusion.