History Class is about to become a dance!

The Black Rio Movement and Black and peripheral (re)existences

Abstract

The Black Rio movement—emerging in the 1970s during Brazil’s Civil-Military Dictatorship (1964–1985)—represented a powerful form of resistance against political and cultural repression, as well as a means of Black identity empowerment. This study analyzes the influence of “bailes soul” (soul music dance parties) as spaces of “emergent knowledge,” fostering a sense of belonging and affection among the Black community in Rio de Janeiro. It explores their educational dimension and potential contributions to strengthening of marginalized groups through the production of counter-hegemonic memories. The methodology includes the analysis of music, clothing, phonographic material (vinyl records), photographs, dance styles, news reports, and official documents from the Brazilian Dictatorial State. The bailes soul and the Black Rio movement were crucial in creating spaces for Black identity empowerment, challenging the discrimination imposed by the military regime. These events not only promoted music and fashion as expressions of Blackness but also served as political acts of resistance in the fight for racial equality in Brazil. Thus, they foster educational practices that promote social and racial justice.