The Day Black Awareness

The Day Black Awareness

The Day of Black Awareness is celebrated annually on November 20 in Brazil as a day on which to reflect upon the injustices of slavery 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.

In what place is that?

The states with the largest number of cities that have joined the holidays are Mato Grosso and Rio de Janeiro. It is noteworthy that the Bahia state with the largest contingent of black population in the country, does not have the date as a holiday in any city

  

Why November 20? 

The date of November 20 was chosen because it marks the death of Zumbi dos Palmares. He was killed in 1695 after being denounced by a fellow and captured by the Portuguese. The day also recorded the end of the Quilombo dos Palmares, the largest in the country, located in Alagoas. The site came to house more than 30 000 blacks. In the last Assembly of the Congress of Black Women and Black Men, held in Sao Paulo, many leaders, including participating in the Union of Black Equality proposed that the November 20 to become a national holiday.

By: Vitor Magagnin