Handwritten letter from Joaquim Nabuco (1908)

Twenty years after the Áurea law, the then Brazilian ambassador to the United States, Joaquim Nabuco, recalls the abolitionist struggle.

Handwritten letter from Joaquim Nabuco to Bastos Tigre, with its envelope. Washington, May 18, 1908. One sheet. 11.3 cm x 17.6 cm. In Portuguese. Good condition, some age spots. Single piece.

Joaquim Nabuco (1849-1910) had a full life and successfully exercised many professions. However, his fame remained, above all, for being an active militant for the abolition of slavery in Brazil, with a key role in the 1888 law. are references to this day. In addition to criticism of the Church, which did not defend the emancipation of slaves. This legacy is even more remarkable when it is known that he was born in Recife and raised by a family that owned slaves.

Very respected and a friend of great personalities, such as Machado de Assis, he then became one of the great diplomats of the Brazilian Empire (1822-1889) and the first Brazilian ambassador to the United States, between 1905 and 1910, which marked a change significant impact on his country's role on the world stage. Nabuco realized the importance of Brazil, and other South American nations, developing a united relationship with the North American scenario.

The letter, written at that time, is notable for this reason, but also and above all for evoking his abolitionist struggle in Recife, the work of his life. Furthermore, it is one of the last letters of his life, as he died in Washington a few months later.

The slave mentality, racism and discrimination in general have not yet been overcome. As Nabuco predicted for Brazil, there is still a long way to go, and this letter remains very current.