Ana Maria Gonçalves becomes first Black woman in Brazil’s literary academy | Brazil
Brazil, the first black woman founded in 1897 and modeled in Académie Française’de Brazilian letter academy elected.
54 -year -old Ana Maria Gonçalves is one of the most admired contemporary writers in Brazil and writers, activists, literary academics and President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva.
The most famous work, UM Defeito de Cor (One color defect) is still not translated into English. It is a 950 -page historical novel, which is described as the history of Brazil in terms of a black woman ”.
Recently selected The biggest work of Brazilian literature of the 21st century Folha de S Paulo newspaper has achieved the rare combination of both critical and popular success, and more than 180,000 copies have been sold in 2006.
Celebrating the victory of Gonçalves, Lula wrote that the book was “friend ında in 580 days prison,“ And I always recommend to recommend it to everyone. ”
Now the author hopes that the election of the primary mission to the 128 -year -old academy, the protection of Portuguese language and Brazilian literature, can help to correct what he sees as a long -standing historical injustice.
“I am the first black woman, but I can’t be the only person, Gon Gonçalves said,“ Immortal ”as they only refer to the sixth woman or referring to them among 40 members. Except two black men and First and only domestic writer The others are white men to join the institution.
“I cannot carry the weight of representing an incredibly varied population, which continues to be marginalized,” he said.
The Academy, the first president, a black man, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, was considered the largest Brazilian writer of all time. Although Machado is still known as the home of Assis, the Academy has only had a handful of other black men since then – many of them see how racism works in a country where more than half of the population is of African origin.
Poet and translator 40 -year -old Stephanie Borges believes that Gonçalves’ choice will encourage more black women to be readers and writers. “When we tell our own stories, we invite those who look like us to approach literature,” he said.
Solder Da Silva, 58, Author of more than 20 booksHe wants to emphasize that Gonçalves was not chosen because he was black, “Because he is one of the biggest living writers in Brazil”.
There were 13 candidates in the study and 30 out of 31 members who voted in Thursday’s elections chose Gonçalves – the remaining vote Eliane Potiguara74 hoped to be the first native woman to participate in the academy.
Gonçalves had to carry out some kind of “campaign – – but even though he stressed that he never wanted votes – he sent a copy of his book and each member a personal letter and some of them called to discuss his work.
In 2018, another 78 -year -old famous black writer Conceicão Evaristo stopped for the election, but only received one vote.
Gonçalves, “the academy needs more women, more black people, domestic people and other parts of Brazil needs people,” he said. “And I hope now I can help it happen.”
