Note from BW of Brazil: The message and ideology of what we know as Pan-Africanism has had a following in Brazil since 1923 when the imprensa negra (black press) began covering the ideas and thoughts of Marcus Garvey for its readership. According to Petrônio Domingues, the O Getulino newspaper, based in Campinas, a city located in the state of São Paulo ”circulated between 1923 and 1926 and contributed to the process of formation of racial identities within a social and cultural movement that fought for the insertion of black people in Brazilian society.”
With the intent of informing its readers of what was happening around the world with its “people”, O Getulino reserved space to talk about Garvey and his UNIA organization. In 1929, another newspaper in São Paulo’s black press, O Clarim d’Alvorada, started to translate and republish articles and reports of The Negro World, the UNIA newspaper and acted as a channel of communication and propaganda of Garveyism in the transnational network of the black Atlantic.
In general, Brazil’s more popular black organizations have followed a more moderate path in its struggle against racism all the while calling for full integration of the black population into Brazilian society, but there have also been some more radical elements of social thought as to the mechanisms and paths that would lead to the full liberation of African descendant people living in Brazil. The thoughts of Marcus Garvey never completely died out in Brazil, and today, with more black Brazilians having access to higher education and information, adherents to Garveyism can be found in varying degrees throughout the country within the black community.
The influence of Garvey can be witnessed in the rise and spread of black entrepreneurs and their beliefs in the necessity of spreading ”black money”, buying black, supporting black businessmen and women and the need for more black couples and families. But in order for this movement to gain strength, a re-education process is vitally important and the people of the União dos Coletivos Pan Africanistas (Union of the Pan Africanists Collectives) have stepped forward to fill this void, reaching their followers with their own collection of self-published books on black thought and liberation.
Friday, August 30, saw the release of the book O Pan-Africanismo in São Paulo by author Abisogun Olatunji Oduduwa as well as a lecture on the topic. Below is a flyer that was distributed at the event translated into English as well as a brief write up on the event from Friday night. As I’ve said, these are exciting times in Brazil for anyone who seeks the liberation of African minds and it can be noted in the lectures, debates, book releases and even the music. All I can say is keep your eye on this movement because you know I will.
MESSAGE TO THE BLACK PEOPLE
União dos Coletivos Pan Africanistas
We blacks arriving in Brazil around the year 1530, were removed from the African continent and forced to work here for over 350 years without receiving any money. We brought a lot of knowledge from Africa and our work was responsible for the enrichment of many familias brancas (white families) and even for the development of the economy of countries.
Despite the importance of blacks to this country, the Brazilian state has always persecuted us, creating laws and other ways to attack our traditions, our religion and everything related to our people. Even theories were created that blacks were inferior and that Brazil needed to whiten its population.
Our people have fought many fights and that is why we have managed to reach this day and age, but racism and persecution continue. But our worst problem is that we have assimilated many of the racist ideas that were created to destroy us and keep us in a situation of submission and mental confusion.
They have made us believe that everything that comes from the black is bad and much of our current problems come from a feeling of hatred we have against ourselves. We need not hate our African culture and values, be ashamed of our features, our appearance. We should not imitate and want to look like those who are racist, we need not seek their acceptance. We need not risk our lives and our freedom to have expensive products and articles that bring a false sense of happiness, we need not become addicted to drugs and other poisons for pleasure and relief.
It is possible to change our present situation, to organize and unite as a people, to care for each other, to care for our men, our women, our children, our elders, to redeem our African values and traditions.
We have had and still have many leaders who have developed liberation ideas for our people, research about Marcus Garvey, João Cândido, Lélia Gonzalez, Malcolm X, Steve Biko, Beatriz Nascimento, Black Panther Party, Assata. Shakur, Angela Davis.
To learn more please contact us: Email: ucparbg@gmail.com Facebook: União dos Coletivos Pan africanistas Instagram: territorioafrikano
Book on Pan-Africanism to be released in São Paulo this Friday
Work presents the concepts of movement from historical events and contributions of black thinkers
Last night, Friday, August 30, history teacher and writer Abisogun Olatunji Oduduwa released the book Pan-Africanismo at the Mário de Andrade Library, in downtown São Paulo.
The work presents the vision of pan-africanismo (Pan-Africanism) defended by the movement’s activists. The notes are based on historical events and contributions from black thinkers such as John Henrik Clarke, Marcus Garvey, Frantz Fanon, Cornel West, Kwame Nkrumah, among others.
According to Abisogun Olatunji Oduduwa, Pan-Africanism is the most effective movement in the fight against supremacia branca (white supremacy). “It is a philosophy with a message aimed at the população negra (black population), so it is not lost on ephemeral or controversial constructions,” he explains.
The idea of publishing a book on the subject came after Abisogun took a Pan-Africanist training course in 2018. The objective is to raise funds for the construction of a school of the movement on the outskirts of São Paulo.
“The União dos Coletivos Pan-Africanistas (Union of Pan Africanists Collectives) has a project to acquire land for the construction of the school and all the books we produce are intended to raise money for the project,” he says.
This is the author’s first book, which is part of the União dos Coletivos Pan-Africanistas (UCPA). The work will be available for purchase in the amount of BRL$25 (about US$6).
With information from Alma Preta
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