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News History of the Soweto Black Organization

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Soweto Organização Negra (Soweto Black Organization) is a civil, social action, non-profit organization, officially founded in São Paulo on March 9, 1991, same year as the First National Meeting of Black Entities in São Paulo, which brought together thousands of activists and various black organizations as a result of more than 10 years of mobilization and coordination in regional meetings. Its founding members were of the Grupo Negro da PUC-SP (PUC/SP Black Group), a group of black students from different majors at a private and catholic university, who created Soweto "with the aim of building organized actions to overcome socio-racial inequalities in Brazilian society" – according to Soweto's first publicity brochure.

The organization is named in honor of the black youth who, in 1976, held a peaceful demonstration in Soweto, a black suburb of Johannesburg, against South Africa's segregationist regime and were violently repressed. It was after the "Centenary of Abolition" and the political reform of 1988 that the members sought to develop not only answers to the situation of oppression and discrimination, but a political project capable of bringing about real changes in the lives of the black population.

In its first executive board, Flávio Jorge Rodrigues da Silva took over the presidency, Matilde Ribeiro the vice-presidency, Luiz Carlos de Freitas, or Feijão, was the first treasurer and Maria do Carmo Sales Monteiro the first secretary of the organization, which had 23 founding members.

In order to fulfill its objective, Soweto set out to intervene in reality, seeking to improve living conditions, especially the political, social, economic, educational, cultural and health needs of the black majority of the population From the outset, members established their primary aims and objectives:

  • Stimulate and develop activities of human, social, political, educational, sporting and intellectual, cultural, civic and moral development, aimed at members, the black population, regardless of nationality, political party, gender, age or creed;

  • Organizing, promoting, participating in, sponsoring debates, conferences, seminars, meetings, courses, congresses and activities with the aim of discussing the themes and proposals of causes whose main purpose was to fight racism and discuss and disseminate black culture.

  • To publish newsletters, records, booklets and gather journalistic material, with the aim of gathering, preserving and disseminating information on various topics about black culture, its values, racism, discrimination, public policies aimed at the black population, ethnic identity, the black movement, the black community and resistance.

  • Organize and maintain partnership programs, consultancy services and cooperation agreements with government agencies, social movements and the black movement, and thus work on educational projects.

  • Advising all members, including guaranteeing them legal defense before public authorities.

Timeline: Historical milestones of Soweto Black Organization

1991 | On May 5, 1991, Soweto held its inauguration party at the Monteiro Lobato Children's Library, run by the São Paulo City Hall.

1992 | Creation of the Soweto Black Women's Group. The aim of setting up the group was to create a space to discuss issues related to the reality of black women in Brazil.

1995 | The Zumbi dos Palmares March was held in Brasilia, with the important participation of Soweto members in the process of mobilizing and building the march.

In 1995, the Workers' Party's National Secretariat for Fighting Racism (SNCR) was created. Flávio Jorge Rodrigues da Silva, a member of Soweto, was elected the first president of the Secretariat. His term lasted four years (1995-1997; 1997-1999).

1996 | Soweto promotes the debate “The black presence in the elections of the city of São Paulo, 1996”.

2001 | After 10 years since it was founded, the First Meeting of Soweto's Founding Members takes place, with the aim of presenting the organization's new headquarters, new board of directors and guidelines.

The 3rd World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, organized by the UN in September in Durban (South Africa).

2003 | Creation of the Special Secretariat for Policies to Promote Racial Equality of the Presidency of the Republic (SEPPIR), whose first secretary was Matilde Ribeiro, a member of Soweto, and Law 10.639, which established the teaching of Afro-Brazilian and African culture and history in the official school curriculum.

2004 | Soweto's new board has been formed. The following were elected: Gevanilda Gomes dos Santos (President), Maria José “Majô” (Vice-President), Alva Helena Almeida (Treasurer), Rosangela Borges (General Secretary) and Flávio Jorge Rodrigues da Silva (Projects Director).

2005 | The First National Conference for the Promotion of Racial Equality (DF) was held, an important step towards the realization of the first National Plan for the Promotion of Racial Equality. Soweto also participated of the World Social Forum in the city of Porto Alegre/RS. Two Zumbi + 10 marches were held. Soweto took part in the 2nd Zumbi dos Palmares March, against “Racism, for Equality and Life”, on November 22, 2005 in Brasilia.

2007 | Soweto took part in the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya. Launch of the Luiz Gama Library and closing of the Community Library Training Course. The project was sponsored by the Special Secretariat for Policies to Promote Racial Inequality (SEPPIR);

2009 | In January, Soweto took part in the World Social Forum, in Belém do Pará, where it coordinated the round table discussion “The importance of Popular Education in Political Intervention to Combat Racism and All Forms of Discrimination”, using the Culture Circle strategy developed by educators Gevanilda Santos, Glauciana de Souza, Suelma Inês de Deus, Gildean Pereira “Panikinho” and with journalistic coverage by Lina Rosa.

2010 | Approval of the Racial Equality Statute (Law No. 12.288), which provides for the establishment of public policies to correct racial inequalities and combat discrimination and other forms of ethnic intolerance.

2011 | Soweto organized and signed up to take part in the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal, but unlike the experience in Kenya, faced logistical and communication problems. Members of Soweto took part in the opening march and in some collective activities, including a visit to Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.

2012 | After a decade of debate, the Supreme Court rules the quota policy constitutional and it becomes law (No. 12.711) in federal institutions. The measure stipulates that all public higher education institutions reserve 50% of their places for students from public schools, including percentages for self-declared “black”, “brown” and indigenous people.

2015 | Soweto took part in the International March Against the Genocide of Black People. Soweto took part in the World Social Forum in Tunisia.

2017 | New Immigration Law enacted by the National Congress, No. 13.445 (24/05/2017), which strengthened the institutions that fight for immigrant rights. Even so, despite the legal framework, many immigrants were not covered by public policies and Soweto was present to strengthen the debate and support refugees in the Municipal Immigrant Council.

2018 | Soweto, along with the Group for the Study of Race Relations in Social Work, GERESS, the “I Look Suspicious” Campaign, two African immigrant organizations, the Integration for All Group and the Good Samaritan Association, presented the round table discussion, “Brazil-Africa Dialogue: Popular Education to Fight Racism in Immigration and Refugee Situations”, consolidating the participation of black Brazilians and Africans in the World Social Forum held in Salvador, Bahia.

2021 | Soweto celebrates 30 years of developing a series of support activities for the refugee immigrant population in Brazil, coming from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.