How November 20 became Black Consciousness Day in Brazil
The murder of a black man in a supermarket will overshadow this year's holiday
This is an independent publication that focuses on Black Brazilian news, culture, tourism, history and politics. Please sign up to the newsletter if you want to receive updates about what is going on with our brothers and sisters in Brazil.
Yesterday, November 19, I fell asleep at 7pm. I awoke at 4 am on November 20 to news that a black man (João Alberto Silveira Freitas) was beaten to death by security guards at a Carrefour in Porto Alegre.
At the beginning of the week we were celebrating Porto Alegre for electing five black people to its city council. And now a black man has been beaten to death in the city.
But there is an even greater connection to today's holiday.
Black Consciousness Day started in Porto Alegre.
We have to thank the Black people of Porto Alegre for establishing November 20 as a day to honor black ancestors in Brazil and critique the advancements of Black Brazilians.
The roots of Black Consciousness day go all the way back to the 17th century, when Zumbi dos Palmares, a leader of a Black Quilombo (Maroon Palenque), died defending his community from Portuguese invaders on November 20, 1695. The Palmares Quilombo, located in current-day Alagoas, Brazil, was a self-sustaining community composed of tens of thousands of escaped slaves from nearby plantations. This community thrived for more than 100 years. Zumbi, the last king of Palmares, led the warriors who defeated numerous invasions until the Portuguese ultimately destroyed the community. Zumbi’s capture and death are reported as November 20 in 1695. Today the word “quilombo” has great meaning for Afro-Brazilians; it not only refers to a self-sustaining community of formerly enslaved Afro-Brazilians but it also carries the symbolism of “resistance” and “survival.”
A group of modern-day quilombos (maroon communities) in Rio Grande do Sul (where Porto Alegre is located) decided in the 70s that November 20 should be the Dia de Consciência Negra—Black Consciousness Day. On the 300th anniversary of Zumbi’s death in 1995, more than 30,000 members of Brazil’s Black movement marched in Brasília to demand improved conditions for Blacks in the country. While Black Consciousness Day is a not a federal holiday, it remains an official holiday in five states and over 1,000 cities.
Overtime, November has become Black Consciousness MONTH in Brazil. On a typical November 20 (not 2020) one can expect a march in São Paulo, events in Quilombos across Brazil and tons of panel discussions. AfroPunk was gonna have its inaugural festival in Salvador. This year, many will spend November 20 protesting at Carrefours across Brazil.
For those of you who are not in Brazil, here is an event to keep you occupied today.
When: 3pm Brazilian Time, 1pm EST
Cultne has the greatest video archive of Brazil Black movement on Youtube. This year they are doing an online Black Consciousness Day Cultural festival that will include entertainment, palestras. It will all be in Portuguese but check it out! Check the profiles below:
Website - http://cultne.com.br/festivalori
Instagram - Cultne
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjKjD0bztwIrsK16xODswIQ
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cultne