Black magazines like Ebony, Jet, Essence and Black Enterprise, have been cornerstones of popular media in the African American community since the mid 20th century. Even during the decline of print media, they serve as both archives and beacons of modern Black life.
This journalistic tradition can also be read through time as a historic roadmap.
During the golden era of these African American periodicals, in the 90s, the Black rights movement (Movimento Negro) saw the launch of their own representative magazines.
In 1996, the first edition of the monthly magazine, Revista Raça (Revisit Race), was published by Editora Pestana Arte & Publications. The first edition in September 1996 featured the Brazilian actress Isabel Fillardis. It sold over 270,000 copies, a record that remains unbeaten.
The first and most renowned magazine in Brazil with content related to Black culture, Raça is a Brazilian gem. The history of this iconic magazine is intertwined with the history of Black men and women in Brazil around the world for over a quarter of a century.
From the pages of Raça, Brazilians read about the fight for racial quotas in universities, the Black pride movement, the first Black member in the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court.
In 2018, the magazine adapted its format to the digital age with television programming, a website, a YouTube channel, Instagram and other social media. To date, it is the only outlet to present in all media — television, print and digital — to speak directly to 54% of the Brazilian population.
