Black Consciousness Day in Brazil honors the history, culture and resilience of Afro-Brazilians. The date marks the death of Zumbi dos Palmares, a symbol of resistance against slavery. The day celebrates Black identity, acknowledges the struggles against racism, and promotes equality, pride and cultural heritage across Brazil.

When is Black Consciousness Day?

Black Consciousness Day is observed on November 20 each year.

The following is the list of Black Consciousness Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Black Consciousness Day?

The date marks the anniversary of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares in 1695. Zumbi was the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares, a large settlement of escaped enslaved Africans in northeastern Brazil. Palmares resisted Portuguese colonial forces for nearly a century and became a powerful symbol of freedom and self-determination.

Zumbi's leadership and eventual martyrdom turned him into a national symbol of Black resistance, courage and the fight for equality.

Although Afro-Brazilians had long celebrated their heritage informally, Black Consciousness Day emerged formally during the 1970s, led by activists of the Movimento Negro Unificado (MNU). They chose November 20 to honor a Black hero of resistance rather than dates imposed by colonial narratives

This movement marked a shift in how Brazil confronted its history of slavery, the longest-lasting slavery system in the western world, abolished only in 1888.

Starting in the 2000s, several Brazilian states and cities began adopting November 20 as an official holiday. In 2011, Brazil created a national law formally recognizing Black Consciousness Day as a day of reflection on racial justice and Black cultural contributions—though it is a public holiday only in certain regions.