Work

From the docks I am rank
A Black man not one to give up

Image description: This is a painting depicting a market scene. On the left side, there is a stall with a straw roof, where clay pots and vegetables are on display. In front of the stall, two women are seated, one of them holding a stick. The woman on the right is standing, near two donkeys loaded with sacks. The donkeys are positioned in the center-right of the image. The predominant colors are shades of green, blue, brown, and beige.

Whether they were enslaved people hired out for wages who, at the end of the day or week, had to bring the jornal (as if it were a daily rate to be paid) to their master, or freedpeople living on their own, who needed to survive or save up to buy something or someone's freedom, Africans and their descendants constituted the workforce par excellence in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

There was the work of barbers, many of whom also had skills to heal wounds and care for teeth, as well as respected healers who were knowledgeable in herbs and brews for treating different ailments, and also artisans of different trades, sellers of vegetables and fruits, sweet makers, sellers of angu, and many others. These activities meant that many people circulated not only through the port region but also through areas of downtown, offering services and goods, and transporting everything the city needed.

Image description: This is a painting depicting an urban scene with several human figures. On the left side, we see two individuals standing, one of them wearing a yellow hat and the other with a green hat. In the center, there is a seated figure with colorful clothing and adornments. On the right, another figure is kneeling, wearing striped pants and a green hat. In the background, there is a metal structure and some people walking. On the horizon, we see ships docked in a port.

Pequena África was also where the União dos Operários Estivadores emerged, in 1903, a landmark in the country's history of social struggles and a stronghold of a Black militancy that faced tough battles. In 1905, the Sociedade de Resistência dos Trabalhadores de Trapiche e Café was founded in the region, a union whose first board was Black-majority, made up of sons of African women. Both unions, among the first in Brazil, led a major strike in 1906, which resulted in victory for the workers. Among the many stories of African dockworkers in Pequena África in the early twentieth century is that of Antônio Mina, constantly persecuted by the authorities, accused of witchcraft and other crimes.

Image description: The image is a black and white photograph. In the central part, we see a man smiling, wearing a white shirt with black details and a tie. He is holding a trophy with a centered figure. In the background, there is a flag with the name "Império Serrano" and the year "1959". The flag has a diagonal striped pattern in black and white, with a star in the center. In the lower corner of the image, there is a caption that reads "Arquivo Público do Estado de São Paulo - Memória Pública".