Publisher Description

Júnia Ferreira Furtado offers a fascinating study of the world of a freed woman of color in a small Brazilian town where itinerant merchants, former slaves, Portuguese administrators and concubines interact across social and cultural lines. The child of an African slave and a Brazilian military nobleman of Portuguese descent, Chica da Silva won her freedom using social and matrimonial strategies. But her story is not merely the personal history of a woman, or the social history of a colonial Brazilian town. Rather, it provides a historical perspective on the cultural universe she inhabited, and the myths that were created around her in subsequent centuries, as Chica de Silva came to symbolize both an example of racial democracy and the stereotype of licentiousness and sensuality always attributed to the black or mulatta female in the Brazilian popular imagination.

Author Biography

Junia Furtado holds a Ph.D. in Social History from the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is currently a professor of history at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Her work on Chica da Silva has won awards from the Carlos Chagas Foundation for Women and Gender Research and the Ford Foundation. She has also contributed articles to Cartografia da conquista das minas and History of Cartography, volume 4. The Portuguese language edition of this book was awarded Honorable Mention in 2004 by the Casa de las Americas foundation of Cuba.

Table of Contents

1. Land of stars; 2. Chica da Silva; 3. The diamond contractors; 4. Black diamond; 5. The lady of Tejuco; 6. Life in the village; 7. Mines of splendour; 8. Separation; 9. Disputes; 10. Destinies; 11. Chica the boss.

Review

"...impressive, definitive study..." -Choice
"In Chica da Silva, Júnia Ferreira Furtado offers a compelling account of the life and world of Francisca da Silva de Oliveira." -Mariana L. R. Dantas, Journal of Social History
"excellent book...moves beyond the myths to uncover ther real Chica." -Katherine Holt, Journal of World History

Promotional

A study of Chica da Silva, a freed woman of color in a Brazilian town.

Review Quote

"In Chica da Silva, Jnia Ferreira Furtado offers a compelling account of the life and world of Francisca da Silva de Oliveira." -Mariana L. R. Dantas, Journal of Social History

Promotional "Headline"

A study of Chica da Silva, a freed woman of color in a Brazilian town.

Description for Bookstore

A fascinating study of Chica da Silva, a freed woman of color in a Brazilian town. Her story reveals the world she inhabited, and the myths that were later created around her. She came to symbolise both racial democracy, and the stereotypes attributed to the Brazilian black or mulatta female.

Description for Library

A fascinating study of Chica da Silva, a freed woman of color in a Brazilian town. Her story reveals the world she inhabited, and the myths that were later created around her. She came to symbolise both racial democracy, and the stereotypes attributed to the Brazilian black or mulatta female.

Details