The 1st such Congress was held in 1934 in Recife, called by the late Brazilian Social Historian Gilberto Freyre(author "Masters and Slaves"). It was a gathering of white historians about the contributions of Africans to Brazilian society.
This 5th Congress, 63 years later had a totally different tone.
The white anthropoligists and historians were there, but the discussion
was dominated by black social activists who were less interested in the
history of Africans in Brazil, than in today's struggles by people
of African descent for equality in a Brazilian society that still
clings to the notion expressed in the 1st Congress that Brazil is a "racial
democracy."
1. AFRICANS IN THE BRAZIL OF TODAY
2. OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 5TH AFRO-BRAZILIAN CONGRESS
3. ISSUE: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN BRAZIL
4. ISSUE: NURTURING BRAZIL'S AFRICAN TRADITIONS