ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Afro-Brazilian involvement in the abolition movement, as a way of looking at how the Afro-Brazilians fought against racism. It explores how black abolitionists had to negotiate with a Brazilian Empire that was extremely hierarchical and based on racial slavery but still, interestingly enough, afforded a small segment of people of African ancestry an opportunity to attain high levels within the elite structure of the society. Afro-Brazilians used outlaw cultures as a mechanism to fight white supremacy and, most importantly, to preserve the various African cultural traditions, or the formation of new mestico cultures that have existed since colonial times. Even though religious practices such as Macumbas and Candombles were unable to improve the Afro-Brazilians’ socio-economic position, Afro-Brazilians had an enormous influence in the sphere of culture. Gama was a person of African ancestry born into freedom in Itaparica, Bahia to a white upper-class Brazilian father and a free African mother.
