Black Awareness Day

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Advertisement about Black Awareness Day in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
A march during Consciência Negra day, São Paulo, 2008.

The Day of Black Awareness ("Dia da Consciência Negra" in Portuguese) is celebrated annually on November 20 in Brazil as a day on which to reflect upon the injustices of slavery (from the first transport of African slaves to Brazil in 1594 to 1888) and to celebrate the contributions to society and to the nation by Brazilian citizens of African descent. It takes place during the Week of Black Awareness.

Events

The day is marked on the anniversary of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares (1655–1695), the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares.

Members of the organization "Black Movement" (the largest of its kind in the country) organize educational and fun events involving mainly children of African descent. Their focus during these events is to dissolve the perception of Africans' inferiority in society. Other "hot topics" in the black community during the Day of Black Awareness are the assimilation of African-Brazilian laborers with Caucasian-Brazilian and other laborers, ethnic identity, and black pride.

Black Awareness Day has been celebrated since the 1960s and has only amplified its events in the last few years. Black Awareness Day used to be celebrated on 13th of May (the date of abolition of slavery in Brazil). However, Afro-Brazilians asked to change it to 20 of November to honor Zumbi's death.

See also

International:

References

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