Bridging Histories, Forging Futures: Celebrating 200 Years of Brazil-US Relations

During the transatlantic slave trade, close to 12 million Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas. Nearly 4.9 million were taken to Brazil and close to 400,000 were traded to the United States. The United States abolished the transatlantic slave trade in 1808. Brazil relied heavily on the transatlantic slave trade as its primary source of labor until the Lei Áurea, or Golden Law, abolished slavery in 1888.

The transatlantic slave trade and the struggles for freedom and equality for Afro-descendent communities have shaped both Brazil and the United States as multiethnic, multiracial democracies. Today, Afro-Brazilians account for 56% of Brazil’s population and African Americans comprise 12% of the US population, playing vital roles in their nations’ economies, politics, and cultures. Despite progress, however, systemic inequalities persist, highlighting the challenge for both nations of addressing historical injustices.

In May 2024, the United States and Brazil celebrate the bicentennial of their diplomatic relations. To commemorate this milestone, the Wilson Center’s Brazil Institute will host a dialogue on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (ET), exploring how the shared experiences of the transatlantic slave trade and efforts to promote racial equality play an important role in the relationship between the United States and Brazil. The discussion will also examine initiatives by governments, civil society institutions, and the private sector in both countries to combat racism, address racial health disparities, and promote environmental justice, access to education and economic opportunity, and equality in the justice system.