Out of the Shadows: Black and Brown Struggles for Recognition and Dignity in Brazil, 19641985 Author(s): Zelbert

L. Moore Reviewed work(s): Source: Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Jun., 1989), pp. 394-410 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784392 . Accessed: 01/11/2011 19:31
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OUT OF THE SHADOWS Black and BrownStruggles forRecognition Dignity and in Brazil,1964-1985
ZELBERT L. MOORE
NewPaltz StateUniversityNew York, of

passed intocivilian In March 1985, the reins of government rule. 21 after years(1964-1985)of military The handsin Brazil the College)inBrasilia, (Electoral 686-member ColegioEleitoral in FederalDeputy had capital, votedintothepresidency January of of state MinasGerais, governor the a Neves, former PauloMaluf. Jos6 ill was gravely at thetimeand his vice president, Sarney, died in Neveseventually inApril, of the assumed oath office March. Nova of andhisdeath casta shadowoverthefuture theso-called and of for (NewRepublic) millions Black,Brown, White Republica Post,April25, 14, Brazilians (Visdo,January 1985; Washington 1985). of to the will attempt retrace trialsand travails This article RegimeMilitarapos 64 undertheauthoritarian Afro-Brazilians in of 1964). Therehas beena paucity scholarship thisarea, (after have Afro-Brazilians becomepractioftheresults that is andone do 1984). 1, (Veja,February 1984;Retrato Brasil, cally"invisible" for Scholarswho are indispensable dealingwiththisperiod Fernandes (1971), Thomas CarlDegler(1971), Florestan include ClovisMoura(1983), (1979), Skidmore (1974),CarlosHasenbalg (1982). andAbdiasdo Nascimento (1974) coverstheperiodbetween1870Although Skidmore into is for 1930,hiswork stillinvaluable itsinsights contemporary and intellectuals Brazilian Thiswork holdsthat Brazilian society.
1989394-410 JOURNAL BLACK STUDIES, Vol. 19 No 4, June OF ? 1989Sage Publications, Inc. 394

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government officials haveyetto faceup totheracialproblems of their Afro-Brazilian citizens. in In order understand position Afro-Brazilianssociety to the of itis necessary us tounderstand meaning the1964military for the of coup for all Brazilians.Three previouscivilian presidentsJuscelino da and GoulartKubitschek, Janio SilvaQuadros, Joaio wereall stripped their of rights political of participation ten for years. Over4,000government workers their lost jobs,andpolitical and agriwereinstituted purges against teachers, students, labor, and wereforced cultural groups. Manyfederal deputies senators outofoffice into and exileas well(Burns, 1980:510). the aforementioned the For manypeople in groups, military intervention militar) meant also arrests, media censor(intervenqdo ship, imprisonment, torture, and, in many instances,death (Dreifuss, 1983: 370-372; Stepan,1971: 253-266;Flynn, 1978: theinternational the1964 340-357;Alves,1984:52-71).On level, the also calledit a "Revolution") intercoup (ironically, generals a Africa rupted progressive foreign policy toward begun Presiby in his dent Quadros 1961.During seven-month (February-August) hadstressed Brazil'shistory miscegethat of presidency Quadros the a Afro-Asian nation given nation specialroletoplayinthe had emworld(Quadros, 1961; Rodrigues, 1982:461-468).Brazilian bassies were established Nigeria,Senegal,and Ghana,and in in scholarships for students Brazil were (Bolsasde Estudos) African in such fieldsas medicine, created and pharmacy, architecture, for agronomy. Unfortunately Quadrosand hissuccessor Goulart, however, military canceled the the junta out African initiative this at The time. regime Gen.Humberto Alencar of de CasteloBrancoin 1965alsodrew diplomatically closer Portugal, to which begun had in military action itscolonies Angola, of Mozambique, Cape Verde, andGuinea-Bissau (Rodrigues, 1982:461-468). The coup d'etatalso cutshort career Brazil'sfirst the of Black Raimundo Souza Dantas. Souza Dantas had been ambassador, postedto Ghanaby Quadrosin 1961, and maintained there by Goulartuntil1964 (Dantas, 1982: 63-66; ViannaFilho, 1978: 439-440).

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In retrospect, year1964marked secondtime modern the the in Brazilian history Blackpolitical, that social,andcultural awareness hadbecomea casualty military to intervention. 1937military The coupofGetilioVargas, hiscreation the and of EstadoNovo(New all The State)haddoneawaywith political groups. Vargas military machine included amongits victims mostprominent the Black organization thetime, Frente at the NegraBrasileira (NegroBrazilianFront) Sao Paulo(Fernandes, in 1971:211-212). Gen. CasteloBrancoandhis Junta members wouldeventually givewayinthemid-1960s early and 1970stothe Linhas Duras,or hard-liners within ranks. the Thesegenerals, mostnotably Arthur e Silva andEmflio went aboutthebusiCosta Garrastazui Medici, nessofweeding from various out the sectors suspected Marxists, and of Communists, all manner activists (Black or White).The hard-liners installed 1967 Lei Seguranqa also the Nacional (National Security Law), which drastically restricted antigovernment activity university of students, church clergy, journalists the and and 1971:336-338;Flynn, 1978:375-376). (Schneider, Latin intoexile to France, other ManyBrazilians weredriven American nations, theUnitedStates.Others, and such as Black artist-writer Abdiasdo Nascimento, choseself-exile (auto-exilio) in 1968 (Skidmore, 1967; 317-321; Nascimento, 1976: 47-49). Duringthe1940s and 1950s,Do Nascimento, SolanoTrinidade, to andother Afro-Brazilian intellectuals struggled had relentlessly createan interest Black and African in culture (Moore, 1979: Do met 233-238).Itwas also during 1950sthat Nascimento an the relationWhite and ambitious named LeonelBrizola, that politician later 1976:35). shipwouldpaydividends (Nascimento, in Exile was notan affordable for mostAfro-Brazilians option the 1960s and, as Dzidzienyo(n.d.: 6-14) has shown, mostreat of mained thebottom society this during period. Despiteall of theclaimsofa Brazilian Afro-Brazilian "RacialDemocracy," upfield ward was in main, the to entertainment mobility restricted,the Eveninjobs (empregos) laborers maids and as (musicandsoccer). Afro-Brazilians were morelikelythannot to be economically was marginal. Employment not to be foundin thebusinessor

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If sectors. they needed it government reassuranceswas pointed out that BlackBrazilians couldalwayslookto theproblems facedby Blacksin theUnited States. Afro-Brazilians other and poorworkers derived little benefit from Brazil'sso-called "Economic Miracle" milagre (o brasileiro) the during period between 1969-1974. Indeed, major the beneficiariesofthe"miracle," itsemphasis industrialization, with on were members theruling and of of who military a smallgroup civilians them supported (Retrato Brasil,1984: 169-174;Flynn, do 1978: 382-383;Burns, 1980:533). few During 1970s,forexample, Blackswereable to obtain the theCarteira Assinada(a form Social Security of card).The Carteira guarantees a worker is incapacitated anaccidental, that who by and a job-related injury, who is over50 years age,will receive of In pension. a 1984study (Beozzo, 1984:563-564)onracerelations inBrazilitwas noted that maleworkers held 71.8% oftheWhite theCarteira, held whileonly51.9% ofBlackmaleworkers them. Those individuals (men)classified Pardo (Brownor Mulatto) as For women, corresponding the had57.5%ofthe permits. the figures wereBranca (White),60.4%; Preta (Black), 34%; and Parda, 42.5%. In a related research project (Oliveiraet al., 1983: 39), itwas shown Blacksfared that in Brazilian work force poorly theoverall in de workers of (forca trabalho) 39 million themid1970s.White werelisted 22.2 million at (57.1%), andtheBrown-Mulatto work12 Blackworkers ersnumbered million (31.0%). The 3.6 million were9.3% ofthelaborunit. in Theproblem population in of studies Brazil, especially terms ofrace, mademore is difficult the since nation "race" stopped using after 1960census. the (a composiqdo etnica)as a category Before timethefunctional that categories wereBranca,Preta, Amarela (Yellow/Asian), Parda, and India(Ameridian) (Skidmore, 1974: 218; Camargo, 1976:99; Santos,1984:5). Because ofthestigma attached beingBlack,manyBrazilians to to refused lista racial group (semdeclaraqao)(CensoDemografico 1960: 10). de

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and of As of1985,Brazilhada population 130million, officially and 54.8% White, 38.6% Brown/mulatto. listed peopleas being its population for Blacksaccounted only5.9% ofthetotal Incredibly, of (Beozzo, 1984: 561). The U.S. Department Statelistedin its of figure 8%, a NotesofBrazil a Black population Background in noted a itis thesamefigure by that madesuspect thefact figure (1943: 32). Someresearchers, Jobim 1940sbookon BrazilbyJose to havecalculated Black citizens be more the on theother hand, 1976: 95; S. R. (Camargo, than 50% (or more)of thepopulation Afro-Brazilians the number, Alves,1980: 187). Whatever correct and in many sections society, of to continue be underrepresented and forms exclusion discriminaof various to continued encounter tioninthe1970sand 1980s. Blacksand Pardoshas beendocuagainst This discrimination 150 Article of the mented Hasenbalg (1979: 261-265),despite by stated peoplefound that The Article Constitution. 1967 Brazilian wouldbe de preconceito Raqa (racialdiscrimination) practicing of accounts charges studied newspaper by punished law.Hasenbalg between1968-1977in Rio de Janeiro. of racial discrimination on that While acknowledging the concentration Rio de Janeiro discrimination nonetheless found his Hasenbalg coulddistort study, he instance, in areas.In thefirst Afro-Brazilianstwomajor against exthat wereeither Blackscharged they cases where discovered from socialclubsandplacesofentertaincludedorevenexpelled in of developed therealm employment. ment. secondproblem A who for would advertise workers employers Here prospective The term looks possesseda boa aparencia (good appearance). the job enough, toAfro-Brazilian applicants descripbut innocent A tion was a code for "White only." boa aparenciahad applicants and combed shirt tie,ora hair, little do with to neatly attire, proper that further complained neatskirt blouse.Blacksandmulattos and job or transferred,givendifferent dismissed, wereunfairly they job Afro-Brazilian apworkers. Other than responsibilities White if successfully to theplace of the got that they charged plicants had already they weretoldthat they positions, newlyadvertised beenfilled vagaja' estd preenchida). (a

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Itwas Hasenbalg's (1979: 266) contention Blacks,because that ofa lackofeducation, to havefailed use theoneweaponavailable Law),which tothem-the1951LeiAfonsoArinos (Afonso Arinos inpublic He bansdiscrimination placesandemployment. citedthe working help to case ofa Blacklaborer Rio deJaneiro in who,after to construct neighborhood was deniedentrance thesame a club, on establishment opening day.The laborer was told thatmany that important people(muito genteimportante) been invited had reason wouldnotbe welcome. he With adequate day,andforthat Hasenbalg, education, a knowledge his "rights," and of reasoned theworker for couldhavepressed relief thematter. on The irony theAfonso after of Arinos Law is that was enacted it a racialincident Brazilian officials involving Black American. a wereforced actafter to Katherine the and Dunham, anthropologist to dancer, deniedentrance a Sao Paulo hotelin 1951. In the was Law of Arinos Black Brazilians the opinion many today, Afonso be benefit from since it as havederived little should revoked, they its enactment yearsago. They arguethatin Sdo Paulo, for 38 Blacksare stilldeniedadmission clubsandbars,and to example, arearrested detained basis.Their and without charge a regular on are charges corroborated lanni(Afinal, 23, 1983),a noted by July in social scientist thePontifical at Catholic University Sao Paulo. in On Brazilian racism the1980she has noted:
0 preconceito 6 brasileira umarealidade racialna sociedade geral, difusa maisainda, do persistente, e, recorberta ideologia branco pela e racial. que afirma reafirma o Brasil6 umademocracia que in is persistent, (Racialprejudice Brazilian society a general reality, diffuse moreover, covered well which and, with White a ideology affirms reaffirms Brazilis a racialdemocracy.) and that

The Brazilian variant racism of even reaches intotheareasof mixedmarriages in and (Black and White thiscase), thechurch, athletics. also manifests insuchplacesas Salvador, It itself Bahia, a city witha strong African and heritage. Afroreligious cultural Brazilians or holdveryfewimportant (government commercial) in and which thenation's capital, also was positions Salvador, first

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was a majorportof entry millions African for of slaves during Brazil'searly history R. Santos,1984: 20-22).Afro-Brazilians (J. inSalvador, inother are as of country, constantly parts the projected innegative mediaimages. onepopular In television commercial, a that White Bahianwoman, demonstrating in a detergent, stated it "left hands her niceandsmooth." Blackwoman, A making of use thesameproduct thecommercial, in noted it"left potsand that the The and of panssparkling notgreasy." editors a local Blacknews"If in are and paper asked, there Blacklawyers doctors Brazil, why are they shownin ridiculous subservient and roles?" continually (JornalAfro-Brasil, September 12-28,1984). TV Black Bahiansfurther charged thatthe television station Aratu, which thelargest has viewing audience thestate Bahia in of women were regularlyshown to viewers as housemaids ran of domesticas). TVAratu often old filmstrips (empregadas who and that Africans "killed andatehuman flesh," commercials This featured Trapalhbes Os (The Ragamuffins). is an all-male which imitates Blackmen (three Whites, Black)comedy one team, giventoclowning drunken and behavior (JornalAfro-Brasil, September 12-28,1984). in Whenconfronted charges racism of with (andBlackpoverty) the view was that Salvador, official class, notrace,was thereal a was This culprit, alongwith lackofresources. attitude echoedby thefamousauthor (and nativeBahian) Jorge Amado,who still Brazilwas indeeda "racialdemocracy." clingsto theview that Amadoaddedthat country's the of had history racial mixing created this democracy (NewYork Times, December 1984). 31, The story Manoel,a Black bankteller, hisWhite of and wife, a demonstrates preconceito cor that de Verginia, schoolteacher, (racial prejudice)is alive and well in Sdo Paulo. Manoel and havebeenmarried 12 yearsand are theparents a of for Verginia 10-year-old daughter. Theyhavebeenconfronted manytimesin their and who objectto neighborhood, evenin church, Whites by their her When seenalonewith daughter brown union. (whois light in complexion) Verginia often was askedifthegirlwas adopted.
in northern Brazil, always portrayed Black men as commonlaboror ers, truckdrivers, marginally employed streetvendors. Black

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film Blackactress ("Xicada Silva"was her best-known Zeze Motta inthe1980s)hashadsimilar experiences racism television, with in in for and in reallife.Problems havedeveloped thecompetition and cameaboutas theresult herroleas of jobs, shenoted, others TV thegirlfriend theWhiteactor, of MarcusPaulo,in a popular in novela (soap opera).Brazilians, Ms. Motta'sview,are more roles comfortable Black womenin their with "traditional" as domestics servants and (Afinal, 23, 1983). July Father Ant6nio Aparecidada Silva, a youngBlack Catholic in racialdisparities priest SaioPaulo,haspointed theglaring in out in thechurch. the14,000Catholic Of priests (Sacerdotes) Brazil, half(7,000) are foreigners. Blacks constitute only 200 of the remaining 7,000priests arenative who Brazilians. Father Silva Da in Blacksamong 300 bishops noted there that wereonlythree the thecountry July (Afinal, 23, 1983). and havecome ManyAmericans (North South)andEuropeans in its to know Brazil through past achievements WorldCup orftebol in Brazil),andofcourseitsall-time Soccer (football, great champion EdsonArantes Nascimento do (Pele). During the in 1984 Olympic Games(Os JogosOlimpicos) Los Angeles, this writer theopportunity view theeventsfrom Brazilian had a to vantage point (Sao Paulo and Salvador).Joaquim Cruz,a fleetfooted mulatto collegestudent, theonlyBrazilianto win a was gold medal (medalhade ouro). RicardoPrado,a youngWhite swimmer, brought homea silver medal(medalhadeprata) from in Los Angeles.Despitethetremendous victory the800 meters on Brazilian national byCruz,fewBlacksweretobe found other teams(men or women) in the OlympicGames. The 12-man volleyballteam(volei masculino)was completely White,and only one Black woman(a reserve)playedforthe 12-woman The 12-manbasketball volleyballteam(voleifeminine). team had Thereactually (basquetemasculino) onlytwoBlackplayers. was a third Afro-Brazilian theteam,butbecauseof his light on not as complexion preferred to be identified such.This player had opted for the famousBrazilian"mulatto escape hatch," which permits light-skinned Brazilians to "pass" for White (Degler,1971: 279-280).The Brazilian soccerteam, which even-

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tually lost thechampionship France, to carried onlyfourBlack players among 17-man its squad. Participation athletics Brazilis restricted private in in to (and usually White)clubs.Blacks can gain permission enter to these privileged sanctuaries through only sponsorship. sport The operatingoutside this of general is soccer, rule which learned most is by menon public young in playgrounds, thestreets, openfields, on or on thenation's manybeaches.Track, swimming, volleyball and followdifferent paths, however. Joaquim Cruz,forexample,a native the of capital district (Brasilia), received much histraining of intrack a student the as at University Oregon the of in United States. The small numbers Black Brazilianbasketball of playersis in marked contrast thelargenumbers Black American to of players (ex-U.S. collegestarsa cutbelowNBA level) who are imported in to annually perform thecountry's professional leagues(Placar, Especial Los Angeles, August17, 1984; Veja,August 7, Edigdo 1985). Afro-Brazilians facedwith are in tremendous disadvantages the arena education, nowhere this of and is more than area telling inthe of illiteracy (analfabeto). to of According theBrazilian Institute and are Geography Statistics, ofBrazilians illiterate 26% (1983)that one in four thepopulation. is, of Blackshad twotimes more chances than Whites beingilliterate, Whites four of and had times moreopportunities goingto the university of thanBlacks and Pardos.These numbers relatedto the number students are of in nation's enrolled the and elementary high and schools, especially those withnine or more years of schooling.Of the nation's Blacksonly (304,531)hadadvanced the to nine-year 4% 7,448,108 level. By contrast, 16% (9,071,438)of thenation's56,875,256 had that Whites achieved much education. Brazil's34,614,153 Of the nine Pardos,some 6% (2,122,057)had studied through first years (Nascimento, 1984: 17-19). Thestudies Pastore of how education (1982:78-81)illustrate the for phenomenon created obstacles Afro-Brazilians, those especially whocamefrom rural the Blackandpoorfamilies (campo)interior. wereoften to children from forced remove their school,and put educafinances. postponed This them worktohelpwith to family

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A number Afro-Brazilians haveearned much-coveted of who the to university bachelor's degree (graubacharel)havebeenwilling share with it The peopleofthelowerstrata. lateSao Paulosociole as Eduardo Oliveira Oliveira as ogist, de (1923-1980), much any worked preserve to teachAfro-Brazilian to and singleindividual, and Hayashi, culture during 1960s and 1970s (Guimardes the a 1984). Not only had Oliveirae Oliveiraobtained university which rare a BlackinBrazil, also hadsteadfastly is for he position, refused be referred as a "mulatto," to to despite straight the texture of his hair and lightcomplexion. Oliveirae Oliveiratraveled in in extensively Africa, Latin America, the and United States order to gather and material (and exchange ideas) on Afro-Brazilians other Blacksin theAfrican Diaspora.He also was quickto offer assistance North to American scholars this who (including writer), came to Sto Paulo in searchof archivalresources. Aldaberto a and federal Camargo, SatoPaulo businessman former deputy, links Blackpolitical power with education, literacy, theballot. and In addition beingpresident theCamara de Comercio to of AfroBrasileira, Brazilian-African a trading company, Camargo has also obtained university scholarships (bolsas de estudos)forBlack in SaioPauloandother students cities(Afinal, 23, 1983). July in Manystudents the1970swereheavily influenced Black by American activities the1960s.Theyadopted trappings of the of Afrohairstyles, clothing, Soul music,and even thelanguage of "BlackPower"(with great a dealoftheU.S. meaning being in lost its interpretation importation and fromafar).The students and Blackworkers thethousands gathering weekends the by were on in suburbs Brazilthepoorliveinsuburbios therich inthe (in and live center for Blackfestivals. cities) Thesegatherings, which such had Black-American themes Noitesdo Shaft as (John Shaft Nights), alsodrew hundreds anxious of in policemen anticipation trouble. of InSalvador, Bahia,similar festivals music dancetook of and place, those directed theSociedadede Estudos Cultura especially by da

figures.

tion and for indefinitely, prevented and future mobility opportunity enadvancement. Coincidently, (3,023,724)of thechildren 41% rolledin first gradewere Black according BrazilianInstitute to

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NegranoBrasil(Society theStudy BlackCulture Brazil) for of in and the Centro EstudosAfro-Asiaticos de (Afro-Asian Studies The former on Center). groupplaced greatemphasis theNdgo (Yoruba)festivals Nigeria(Gonzalez and Hasenbalg,1982: of 30-33). During mid-1970s the many Blackcommunitiesthe in north and southof Brazil sought inspiration from Black leadership the in UnitedStatessuch as Dr. Martin Luther MalcolmX, King,Jr., AngelaDavis, Stokely Carmichael, and Huey Newton, thelike. Theyalso looked inspiration leaders the for from of newly independentcoloniesof Portugal: mensuchas Amilcar Cabral(GuineaBissau,Cape Verde), Eduardo Dr. Mondlane (Mozambique), and Dr. Agostinho Neto (Angola).Fromwithin Brazil,thesegroups chose as their African symbolZumbi,the seventeenth-century leaderofPalmares (today'sstateofAlagoas innortheast Brazil) 1984: 12). (P. R. Santos, In 1975,BlacksinRio de Janeiro Sao Pauloestablished and two in within the communication organizations orderto facilitate variouscommunities. TheseweretheSociedadede Intercafmbio Brasil-Africa-SINBA (Brazil-Africa Interchange Society)and the Instituto Pesquisasdas Culturas de Negras-IPCN (ReseachInstituteforBlack Cultures). Bothgroupshad as their goals theexand with changeof information solidarity Africa (Gonzalezand Hasenbalg, 1982:40-42). In 1978,a number events of the tookplacethat spurred creation of themostimportant Black organization, Movimento the Negro in Unifcado-MNU' (Black Unified Movement) Sio Paulo. The MNU sought mobilize to Afro-Brazilians action suchissues into on as police brutality, in and racialdiscrimination unequalsalaries, in publicaccommodations and employment (Revista MNU,No. 2, 1980;Moura, 1983:158). of The birth theMNU, it mustbe said,came aboutas a new regime was taking powerin Brazil.The new presidency Gen. of a program as Joaio Batista known abertura, or Figueiredo instituted of Earlier a relaxation government restrictions thecitizenry. on administrations thisdecade had sanctioned of such unitsas the which assassinated notorious death squads(Esquadraoda Morte),

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all manner "subversives" activists, of and regardless sexorrace. of Eveninthe new"liberal" atmosphere the of Figueiredo government there weremilitary whostillkeptan eye on theactivities men of theMNU. One suchofficer Gen.CoelhoNeto, was whostated that members theMNU themselves of werecreating possibility the of and tension, distrust, violence. Gen.Netostated viewsthis his way: "Nao existeracismono Brasil.E o Movimento quem esta'inventando racismo." o ("There no racism Brazil.Itis theMNU is in whichis creating racism.")(RevistaMNU, No. 3, 1981: 3; the Flynn, 1978:444-450;M.H.M.Alves,1984: 160-181). In 1978,Afro-Brazilians beenforced takesomeform had to of in of incidents hadtaken action light three serious that placeinSio In Paulo inthemonth May (theMNU was started July). two of in whileincustody separate incidents Blackmenhadbeenkilled two in ofthe PoliciaMilitar (most policedepartmentsBrazilarequasiAlso thatmonth, fouryoungBlack athletes been had military). thrown of a private out club (theClube Regatas Tiete). athletic Theseactions combined generate largeBlack protest over to a of in Theater 2,000peopleinJuly front the of city's Municipal (Teatro Municipal) (Revista MNU,No. 2,1980: 4). The MNU nowhas chapters thenorthern ofBahia,and in state inthe central ofMinasGerais. 1981,the Paulounit In state Sto paid of de homageto thepioneering activities Dr. Eduardo Oliveirae on Oliveira behalf Brazilian of Blackcommunities (Revista MNU, No. 3, 1981:4). outsideof theestablished student and Many Afro-Brazilians with more the militant intellectual communities becameassociated in of sindicatos (laborunions) thelate1970s.Manyaremembers sindicatos themetallurgical in in interior organizations thethree do So Paulo (state)citiesofSdo Bernardo Campo,Sao Caetano, and SantoAndre. The leaderof thesindicatos Luis Inaicio is da whois known over nation the as "Lula."Afro-Braall Silva, simply ziliansandother poormenandwomen attracted hisleaderare to hard-nosed shipbecauseof his charisma, negotiating skills,and oratorical He of tough ability. also was one ofthefewleaders any groupin the nationwho were willingto testthe much-feared NationalSecurity Law. In 1980, strikes his unionmembers by

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paralyzed nation's the central region, themilitary to be and had calledouttobring control. authorities The things under jailedLula andafter trial a gavehim three-and-one-half-year a sentence. Their strategy to makeLula a felon, thus himfrom was and bar future presidential considerations. was eventually He released after serving31 daysinprison. Lula,whocancommand strike a force to up 100,000members short on notice, also gainedthe respect and imadmiration Brazilian intellectuals of (whom he distrusts he mensely) progressive and church leaders. a matter fact, is As of the with popular Dom Cardinal closelyassociated PauloEvaristo the of as president Arns, Archbishop Sa'oPaulo.Lulaalsoserves the ofthe Partido Trabalhadores-PT dos (LaborParty) (Morel,1981: March 1981). 81;New York Times, 28, A smallgroup radical of has Catholic priests taken theplight up and poor, them Franciscan, ofAfro-Brazilians the the Father among on LeonardoBoffof Petropolis, de Janeiro. Rio Boff'swritings of liberation theology have drawnthewrath theVaticanin the 1980s.Blacksinmany urban areasaresupporters beneficiaries and ofprograms in theComunidades Base (Basic Comde developed munities) theCatholic of The moreradicalwingof the Church. the of church, National Conference Brazilian Bishops (NCBB), has health for and nutrition children, sponsored care, family assistance, socialorganization. church hasearned respect many The too the of Brazilians, and the enmity themilitary, its social action of for in programs the 1970s and 1980s. Manypriests and nunshave risked imprisonment, in torture, deathfortheir and involvement these November programs (Cristd Familia, 1984;Washington Post, October 1984). 30, In addition labor,religious, community to and organizations, some Afro-Brazilians optedto participate politics. have in The liberalization in policiesof President Figueiredo theearly1980s had notonlypermitted political exiles to return home,but also allowedthem stand gubernatorial to for elections. Abdiasdo Nascimento oneofthose was exileswhoreturned to Brazil in 1981. From1970 to 1981 he had been a professor of Afro-American studiesat theStateUniversity New Yorkat of In Buffalo. 1982,Do Nascimento for wonthe offederal ran and seat

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deputy (deputado federal), which formerly beenheldby Sao had one Paulo's Aldaberto Camargo. The political arenais a difficult political forAfro-Brazilians, owingto thenature thenation's of In structure. orderto attain any degreeof success in a runfor political office Blacks mustbe associated withone of thethree volunpowerful political parties. Money, organizational support, will Party (PDS), teers, cadre comefrom SocialDemocratic and the BrazilianDemocratic Movement (PMDB), and the Democratic LaborParty (PDT). The PDS is theparty themilitary-civilian of powerblock,andthePMDB andPDT parties makeup themajor not party, opposition groups. Lula's LaborParty (PT), while a large for canbe counted toprovide or on opposition roleof"spoiler" the PMDB andPDT (Nascimento, 1983: 10; Morel,1981: 179-186; 25, Veja,December 1985). Do Nascimento Agnaldo Blackfrom Rio and another Timoteo, de Janeiro, wonseatsintheCcmarados Deputados(Federal both was in who also is a top singer, the Legislature) 1982. Timoteo, in mostpopularvote-getter the 1982 federalelectionsamong Bothhe andDo Nascimento "owe" their seatsto Leonel deputies. and Brizola,thepowerful governor thestate Rio de Janeiro of of the of PDT. Significantly, arethe only nationwide chieftain the they in two Black federal deputies Brasilia.Thereis onlyone Black avoids the federalsenator (Nelson Carneiro), he carefully but in designation "Negro" (Leite,interview Brazil, August16, 1985; Veja,August 1985;0 Ritmo, 7, 1984: 10-12). with Do Nascimento's relationship Brizoladatesback to the pre-1964 period, whenhe (Brizola)was governor thesouthern of Do do gaucho (cowboy)stateof Rio Grande Sul. As a deputy, Nascimento spent great a investihas deal ofhistime conducting in into and gations discrimination racism Brazil.He also has used of hisposition call attention theinternational to to problems apartheidin SouthAfrica Namibia(Nascimento, and 1976: 35; 1983: 43-45,71-78;1984:20-23). Another to Blackpolitican belongs Brizola'scampisAlceu who the of Collares.Collaresis mayor (prefeito) Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grandedo Sul and a cityof overa millioninhabitants.

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Collaresalso is a former federal deputy (Manchete, August17, 1985;IstoE, July 1985). 24, Alves is Black politician Joaio The PMDB's mostimportant stateof Sergipe of Filho, who is governor the tinynortheast 17, (Manchete, August 1985).

CONCLUSION since organizations The religious, social,cultural, political and of Blackprogto in 1964 arestilldifficult measure terms impact. the stunted under of was ress, wellas that all Brazilians, severely as however, give does administration, Regime Militar. newcivilian A to to their opportunityintensify efforts Afro-Brazilians another yet in education, overcome racialbarriers economics, and politics. the an must Attempts be madetotransform MNU into independent interest Afro-Brazilian or group. party atleasta formidable political

NOTE
1. The fullnameis Movitnento Contra Discriminagdo. a NegroUnificado

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Moore/OUT OF THE SHADOWS

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CensoDemogrAfico 1960,Sa'oPaulo(1960).Riode Janeiro: de Instituto Brasileiro Fundagao de Geografia Estatistica e (IBGE). DANTAS, R. S. (1982) "Notas sobreas relaqies Brasil-Africa inicionos anos 60.' no Cadernos Candido Mendes, Estudos Afro-Asiaticos. 6-7. Riode Janeiro. Nos. in DEGLER, C. N. (1971) Neither BlackNorWhite: Slavery Race Relations Braziland and theUnited States. NewYork:Macmillan. DREIFUSS, R. A. (1983) 1964:A Conquista Estado, do Podere Golpede Aqa'o,Politica, Classe.Petropolis, de Janeiro: Rio Editora Vozes. DZIDZIENYO, A. (n.d.)The Position BlacksinBrazilian of Society. London. in FERNANDES,F. (1971) The Negro Brazilian Society. New York: Atheneum. FLYNN,P. (1978) Brazil:A Political Analysis. Boulder: Westview. Editora GONZALEZ, L. and C. HASENBALG (1982) Lugardo Negro.Rio de Janeiro: MarcoZero,Ltda. da Analitico Coleqa'o GUIMARAES, V.A.L. and M.C.P.I. HAYASHI (1984) Inventario Federal. "Eduardo Oliveira Oliveira." Carlos, Paulo:Universidade de e Sao Sa'o HASENBALG,C. (1979) Discriminaqa'o e Desigualdades RaciaisnoBrasil.RiodeJaneiro: Editora Graal. NewYork:Macmillan. J. JOBIM, (1943) BrazilintheMaking. remembered." Luso-Brazilian Rev. 16 (2): 233MOORE, Z. L. (1979) "SolanoTrinidade 238. MOREL, M. (1981) Lula. 0 Metdlurgico: Anatomia umaLideranqa. de Janeiro: de Rio Editora NovaFronteira. MOURA,C. (1983) Brasil: Raizesdo Protesto As Negro. Sao Paulo:GlobalEditora. Caminhos. NASCIMENTO,A. do (1976) Mem6rias Exilio: Brasil1964-. De Muitos do Ltda. Livraria Livramento Sa'oPaulo:Editora Editora NASCIMENTO,A. do (1982) 0 NegroRevoltado (2nded.). Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira. Revista do NASCIMENTO,A. do (1983) Afrodiaspora: Quadrimestral MundoNegro. Sao Paulo:Pontifical Catholic Univ. NASCIMENTO,A. do (1984) A Aboligaoem Questao:Discursos.Brasilia:Camarados Deputados. OLIVEIRA, L.E.G. de, R. M. PORCARO, andT.C.A. COSTA (1983) 0 Lugardo Negro Na Forqade Trabalho. de Janeiro: Rio IBGE. in PASTORE,J.(1982) Inequality Social Mobility Brazil. and Madison: Univ. Wisconsin of Press. Affairs 19-24. 40: QUADROS, J.da S. (1961) "Brazil'snewforeign policy." Foreign Retrato Brasil(1984) "O estadomilitar" do (No. 12), "O Abismoentre Pobrese Ricos" (No. 29). RODRIGUES, J. H. (1982) Brasile Africa: OutroHorizonte (3rd ed.). Rio de Janeiro: Editora Nova Fronteira. do do SANTOS,J.R. dos(1984) Historia Negro Brasil. Paulo:Pontifical Sa'o Catholic Univ. Afro-Brasileiras de Janeiro: I. Rio Centro Estudos de SANTOS,P. R. dos(1984) Instituiqies Afro-Asiaticos, Conjunto Universitario CandidoMendes. of SCHNEIDER, R. M. (1971) "The political system Brazil:emergence modernizing." of In Authoritarian Regime, 1964-1970. NewYork:Columbia Univ.Press.

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in SKIDMORE, T. (1967) Politics Brazil:1930-1964. Experiment Democracy. An in New York: Oxford. SKIDMORE, T. (1974) Blackinto White: Race andNationality Brazilian in Thought. New York:Oxford. in STEPAN, A. (1971) The Military Politics:Changing Patterns Brazil. Princeton: in Princeton Univ.Press. VIANNAFILHO, L. (1978) 0 Governo CastelloBranco(3rded.). Riode Janeiro: Livraria JoseOlympio Editora.

Zelbert Moorehas beenAssistant L. Professor BlackStudies in sincefall 1983.He received B.A.andM.A. his from UniversityOklahoma Norman hisPh.D. the of in and from Temple University 1978inLatin in American history. the In pasthe has taught at Haverford and CollegeinPennsylvania theCommunity CollegeofPhiladelphia. He has taught in A courses Afro-Brazilian History, BlacksintheCaribbean, History ofBlacksinLatinAmerica, Angola, and Mozambique, GuineainHislor His and y. Rio lookplace in Sao Paulo, Salvador, mostrecent fieldwork Recife, de Janeiro, Brazil(Summer 1984),also Sdo Paulo, Brazil(Summer 1985).His recent publications include Liberation Theology Brazil,1960-1985, in Southwest Latin American 1960Studies Association, Waco,Texas(April1985); Braziland Cuba in Africa, 1958,Midwest Studies Latin American StudiesAssociation (September 1985),Uniin versity Missouri, of His is Columbia. majorwork progress BlacksinBrazilSince 1900.