Paper short abstract:

This communication proposes, therefore to discuss the political action of black women occupying positions in the Catholic associations.

Paper long abstract:

The catholic societies historiography is quite extensive, especially that related to Africans and Creoles experiences on reconnection to their community ties, lost during the African diaspora. The black fraternities were observed as spaces of ethnic disputes, with males holding political power. As a rule, however, manager boards were composed of male and female members. Queens of Congo, judges, chamberlains, and caretakers were crowned alongside men. Research on slavery, nevertheless, pointed out that such female positions were merely honorific. In the nineteenth century, nonetheless, black women, particularly those from the Coast of West Africa, came to have some prominence in the space of those institutions, since they were the greater church contributors donating jewels, buying catacombs in the churches and even being those who bequeathed goods in testament for the confraternities. Of course this enabled them, during life time, to assure some influence. That said, keeping in mind they were not only more numerous but also socially influent, to what extent spots on a female manager board were simply honorific positions? This is a questioning that guides the comparison amidst black women as managers in black fraternities in the 19th century Recife. This communication proposes, therefore, to discuss the political action of black women occupying positions in the Catholic associations. In this first phase, the Electoral Books of Blacks´ Rosary Fraternity of St. Anthony of Recife are being analyzed, assembling the ethnic profile of those women between the decades of 1830 and 1870.