ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the long and complicated history of Brazil, the vexed relationship with race and color in the country, and the aggressive social inclusion policies. The political history of Brazil has been complicated. Resistance to slavery began early in the practice. Modern Brazil was established through colonization and liberation, all the while supporting an extensive slave trade. In addition to evading and escaping capture in Africa, slaves resisted during the Middle Passage from Africa to Brazil. In the 1984 elections, Abdias do Nascimento was elected to federal Congress. At the turn of the 21st century, Brazil had a new constitution and had re-established democratic institutions, but had made little progress in combating racism. Opponents of affirmative action in higher education claim that it is impossible to identify who is Black in Brazil. While affirmative action was Abdias do Nascimento's dream, Freire's critical consciousness points the way for actionable research on affirmative action.
