The week of March 14 continues to grow as an important and symbolic time of the year in the Black struggle in Brazil. On this day in history, in 1914, writer Carolina Maria de Jesus and activist Abdias Nascimento were born.
Carolina Maria de Jesus (1914-1977) was a Brazilian author, considered one of the first and most outstanding Black writers in the country.
Born in the State of Minas Gerais, she was the granddaughter of former enslaved Bantu Africans and the daughter of a domestic worker. Despite only receiving only two years of elementary education, Carolina discovered a love of writing at an early age. As an adult, Carolina worked as a maid and a garbage collector.
During her free time, she wrote poetry and observations from her window in the favela. After introducing her writing to a local newspaper, she convinced them to assist her in publishing her memoirs, Quarto de Despejo (lit. Junk Room, English title Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus) which became a bestseller.
Abdias Nascimento (1914-2011) has been called the most versatile intellectual and cultural leader in the 20th-century African diaspora. The poet, writer, playwright, visual artist, and pan-Africanist activist founded the Brazilian Black Experimental Theater and Museum of Black Art.
His artwork, widely exhibited internationally, expresses Brazil’s African cultural legacy as a fundamental force in the fight against racism. Abdias was a Professor Emeritus at NYU, he was a federal deputy, senator, and secretary of the state government of Rio de Janeiro.
Marielle Franco was a Black LGBT activist who was elected in 2016 as Rio de Janeiro’s fifth most voted city councilor. She was a scholar-activist with a master’s degree in Sociology. Her political platform centered on the struggle for human rights, anti-fascism, LGBT, and workers’ rights. Marielle was assassinated on March 14th, 2018 by a government-related conservative militia.
She was on the federal committee supervising the military intervention in Rio’s favelas. This made the young politician an even bigger political target. Two former military policemen were arrested for their murders but there has yet to be a conviction.
This week, in many ways, marks the beginning of major protests and demonstrations not only celebrating the lives of these important Black Brazilian icons but also in anticipation of the upcoming elections in October.
