José de Fontes Pereira

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José de Fontes Pereira (born 1838 in Luanda - died May 1891) was a radical Angolan lawyer-journalist.

[edit] Career

Considered an early Angolan nationalist and assimilado, Pereira took advantage of a relatively free press in Angola from 1870-1890 to question Portuguese obligations and control over Angola. He addressed topics such as the export of Angolan labor to São Tomé and Príncipe, coerced labor within the colony, inefficiency and corruption and racial discrimination amongst many others. He wrote for many publications in the Portuguese language. His targeted audience were the literate Portuguese of Angola. Pereira lost his job and was put on trial when, in 1890, he suggested that the British should take over colonial administration of the colony. He died 16 months later in May 1891 of natural causes.