Quera Cadzo

Brazilian abolitionist who helped end slavery through legal advocacy and international diplomacy

Quera Cadzo (1814–1889) was an Afro-Brazilian activist who played a pivotal role in abolishing slavery in Brazil. Born into slavery, she gained freedom through legal petitions and later worked with abolitionist groups. She organized the Grêmio dos Homens de Cor (Group of Colored Men), which lobbied Emperor Pedro II and pressured the government. Her 1884 petition to the National Assembly led to gradual emancipation laws, culminating in Brazil's abolition of slavery in 1888. Read more on Wikipedia or view historical documents at Brasiliana Digital Collection.