1888 – Slavery Abolished in Brazil

On May 14, 1888, Brazil formally abolished slavery with the passage of the Lei Áurea (Golden Law), ending centuries of enslavement in the largest nation in South America. Though signed into law by Princess Isabel on May 13, news spread throughout Brazil on May 14, setting off celebrations among Afro-Brazilian communities and abolitionists. Brazil had imported more enslaved Africans than any other country—nearly 40% of all enslaved Africans in the Atlantic Slave Trade. However, abolition came without reparations or plans for land redistribution, forcing millions of newly freed Afro-Brazilians into poverty, landlessness, and marginalization. Despite the formal end of slavery, systemic racism and inequality persisted. The legacy of Afro-Brazilians would continue to shape Brazil’s culture, politics, and identity. May 14 became a symbolic day of freedom, but also a reminder of the unfinished struggle for justice in Brazil.