Maria da Conceição Evaristo de Brito is one of the most important contemporary Brazilian writers, recognized for her contributions to literature and to thinking about social and identity issues in Brazil. She is also an Afro-Brazilian linguist and writer. Born in 1946 in Belo Horizonte, she grew up in an environment marked by poverty, which profoundly influenced her writing, which deals with the experiences of Black women and the reality of the outskirts of the city.
Now retired, Conceição Evaristo had a productive career as a university researcher and professor. She is one of the most influential writers of the postmodernist movement in Brazil. She wrote poetry, novels, short stories, and essays. As a researcher and teacher, she has focused her work on comparative literature. Her short stories, novels, poems, and essays deal with issues related to ancestry and Afro-Brazilian Ness.
Start of school life
At school, during her childhood, Conceição experienced a segregated environment, with poor students relegated to the basement classes, while the more privileged occupied the upper floor and received recognition and opportunities. Despite this, she overcame obstacles and won a place on the upper floor after an excellent performance. Her questioning presence and insistence on participating in events caused discomfort to some teachers but also attracted the sympathy of others. This experience revealed the social and racial inequalities, reflected both in the school structure and in pedagogical practices, which deeply marked her perception of exclusion and her fight for recognition. |
Career and education
Conceição Evaristo was born in a slum in Belo Horizonte and, according to her, after finishing primary school in 1958, she won her first literature prize by winning the school's essay contest. The title of her winning text was: Because I am proud to be Brazilian. Conceição began working as a housekeeper when she was still young to help her family, but she never stopped studying. She worked as a housekeeper until 1971, two years later at the age of twenty-five.
At seventeen, she joined the Catholic Workers' Youth (JOC) movement, which promoted reflections on Brazilian reality. After completing the Normal Course at the Minas Gerais Institute of Education, she decided to move to Rio de Janeiro. She left for the wonderful city in 1973, at the age of twenty-seven. From then on, reflections on ethnic issues became more frequent in the writer's life.
With a degree in Literature from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Conceição Evaristo worked as a teacher in the public school system in Rio de Janeiro. She holds a Master's degree in Brazilian Literature from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), with the dissertation Black Literature: a poetics of our Afro-Brazilian Ness (1996), and a PhD in Comparative Literature from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF), with the thesis Poemas malungos, cânticos irmãos (2011), in which she analyzes the poetic works of Afro-Brazilians Nei Lopes and Edimilson de Almeida Pereira in dialogue with that of Angolan Agostinho Neto. Her literary production gained prominence in the 1990s, when she began publishing in magazines and collections focused on Black literature.
The first domestic job
“I got my first domestic job when I was eight years old, and over time, others followed. My time at my employers’ houses was alternated with other activities, such as taking the neighbors’ children to school, since I took my brothers. The same happened with my homework. By taking care of the children in my house, I extended this assistance to the children in the favela, which also earned me a few bucks. In addition, I helped my mother and aunt wash, pick up clothes and deliver bundles of clothes to my employers’ houses. I also exchanged hours of domestic tasks at teachers’ houses for private lessons, for more attention at school and for the possibility of receiving books, always educational, for myself and my siblings.” |
The concept of “escrevivência” makes people think
Abstract of the article Conceição Evaristo – “Writing also serves to make people think”
Itaú Social – November 2020.
Conceição Evaristo, a prominent Black Brazilian writer, uses her literature and the concept of writing to portray the experiences of Black women and denounce racial inequalities. During the pandemic, she faced sadness and isolation in Maricá (RJ) and, later, took refuge with her family in Contagem (MG). At seventy-three years old, she spent months without writing but resumed the activity as a way of overcoming her emotions.
Conceição Evaristo participated in the virtual seminar A Escrevivência de Conceição Evaristo, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the concept of escrevivência, created in 1994. This concept unites “writing” and “living,” focusing on the stories of Black women as protagonists and the recovery of silenced memories through orality. Inspired by the strength of her mother, Conceição transforms everyday narratives into tools for denunciation and empowerment.
Orality is central to her aesthetics and brings her writing closer to spoken language, in addition to capturing gestures, looks and vocal nuances. Conceição believes that literature has the power to repair injustices and instigate change. As an educator, she misses teaching, a practice that connected her to the appreciation of Afro-Brazilian culture and the implementation of law 10.639/03.
Since 2019, she has been teaching workshops in community libraries to encourage young women to transform experiences into creative narratives. For Conceição, teaching is an emotional exchange that strengthens community ties. She believes in the potential of new generations to combat racism, build a more just society and transform individual success into collective benefit.
The absence of a father
“The absence of a father was alleviated by the presence of my stepfather, but, without a doubt, the fact that I had two mothers eased the paternal void that surrounded me. When I was seven years old, I went to live with my mother’s older sister, my aunt Maria Filomena da Silva. She was married to Antônio João da Silva, Uncle Totó, a widower from two other marriages. They had no children. I went to live with them so that my mother would have one less mouth to feed. They both had fewer needs; my Uncle Totó was a bricklayer, and my Aunt Lia was a washerwoman like my mother. The opportunity I had to study came from the slightly better living conditions that I enjoyed at my aunt’s house. My sisters faced greater difficulties.” |
Interview with Conceição Evaristo - Peripheries Magazine
Summary of the interview conducted in July/2018
Conceição Evaristo maintains an emotional and historical connection with Bar Amarelinho (Little yellow), in Cinelândia, where she began to frequent in the 1970s when she arrived in Rio de Janeiro. The place was an important meeting point for the Black Movement, connecting her to figures such as Solano Trindade and Lélia Gonzalez. In addition to important personal moments, such as the beginning of her daughter's labor, Conceição laments the gentrification that drove the Black community away from there, leading her to seek new spaces such as the bar Só Feijão (Just Beans).
Arriving in Rio in 1973, Conceição deepened her activism in the Black Movement in the 1970s, especially with the founding of the Institute for Research on Black Cultures (IPCN). Her fight for the valorization of Black culture was consolidated in the 1990s, with her participation in the Collective of Black Writers. She reflects on the exclusion of the Black population in spaces such as Cinelândia, the scene of historic demonstrations but still with little black representation.
Conceição criticizes the elitism of Lapa (a famous neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro), which replaced Afro blocks and popular kiosks with bars frequented by the white middle class and denounces the hypocrisy of public policies that exclude Black people while legitimizing the genocide of peripheral populations under the pretext of the war on drugs. She questions how weapons and drugs reach the favelas and exposes power structures that perpetuate violence.
Recalling her childhood in Belo Horizonte, Conceição reflects on the segregation between favelas and the rest of the city, in addition to highlighting the marginalization of Black communities. Her career is marked by resistance against racial exclusion, the struggle to occupy cultural and political spaces, and the promotion of black representation in society.
Conceição Evaristo at the ABL: a step towards decolonizing thought
Summary of the interview in El País with Edma de Góis, journalist, PhD in Literature from the University of Brasília (UNB) and researcher at the State University of Bahia (UNEB).
The text imagines a symbolic meeting between Carolina Maria de Jesus and Conceição Evaristo and highlights Conceição's historic candidacy for the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL). This achievement, which did not occur, would symbolize a victory not only for her, but for Black women and their fight for representation in literature and society. If elected, Conceição would reach a significant milestone that would expand the recognition of Black female authors in Brazil.
In recent years, several initiatives have given visibility to Black female writers, reflecting a movement for historical reparations and demand for representation. Examples include academic research, independent publishers, and literary events, as well as projects such as slams and inclusion initiatives in the publishing market. With seven published works, Conceição Evaristo is one of the central figures in this scenario.
Projects such as Escritoras Negras da Bahia (Black Women Writers from Bahia), coordinated by Calila das Mercês, and Margens, by Jéssica Balbino, map and promote the authorship of Black and peripheral women. These initiatives encourage writers to recognize themselves as such to publish their works and increase their visibility. However, challenges remain because many Black authors depend on small and medium-sized publishers, with limited distribution.
Conceição's election to the ABL would represent a step forward in legitimizing the Black female presence in the national imagination. In addition, initiatives such as the Inspiring Women project, which brings Black authors to public schools, would reinforce the importance of connecting new generations with these works.
Conceição's candidacy reflects a persistent movement against racism and structural inequalities. Her eventual election would update the composition of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and celebrate the strength of Black and female literature, as well as promote greater inclusion and representation in Brazilian culture.
Slam is a performance poetry competition created in the 1980s by Marc Smith in Chicago. Poets present original poems in up to three minutes, without props or music, and are evaluated based on content and performance. With strong ties to orality and urban culture, Slam addresses social, political, and emotional themes, promoting expression and resistance, especially in marginalized communities. In Brazil, it gained strength in the 2000s, with events such as Slam da Guilhermina, in São Paulo. It is a tool for inclusion and debate, which values spoken poetry and connects poets and the public in an impactful way. |
Brazilian Authors
Brazilian Publishers Website – May 13, 2019
Conceição Evaristo’s books address themes related to education, gender, and ethnic relations in Brazilian society. To date, the writer has published novels, poems, and literary essays with international reach. Among her works is Ponciá Vicêncio (2014), published in France and the United States.
Conceição Evaristo is part of the Brazilian Authors Series, an initiative of Brazilian Publishers, a sectoral project to promote the export of Brazilian editorial content through a partnership between the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil). The book Ponciá Vicêncio (2014) presents the protagonist’s paths, scars, dreams, and disappointments.
Conceição Evaristo describes the character’s trajectory from childhood to adulthood and analyzes Ponciá’s affections, dissatisfaction, and involvement with her family and friends. The story addresses the protagonist's identity issues based on her grandfather's cultural heritage and identity, as well as a dialogue between past and present time, memories and experiences, reality, and imagination.
The novel entitled Becos da memória (Alleys of memory) has also been translated into French. In this work, the writer addresses human complexity and the deep feelings of people who face abandonment, prejudice, hunger, and poverty, in addition to discussing important problems in Brazilian society.
Brazilian Publishers, an industry project that promotes the export of Brazilian editorial content through a partnership between the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil), created the Brazilian Authors series, which provides information on current national writers, with the aim of stimulating knowledge about contemporary Brazilian literature.
Conceição Evaristo's works and writing style
Conceição Evaristo's work is marked by the concept of "escrevivência", a term she coined to describe writing based on life experience, especially the experiences of Black women and their communities. Her texts mix prose and poetry and address themes such as oppression, racism, gender violence, ancestry, and resistance. Among her best-known works are:
Ponciá Vicêncio (2003) |
A novel that addresses the journey of a Black woman in search of identity and freedom, with themes of memory and family breakdown. |
Becos da Memória (2006) Memory Alleys |
A book based on her memories of childhood and youth, with a critical look at social inequality. |
Insubmissas Lágrimas de Mulheres (2011) Unsubmissive Tears of Women |
A collection of short stories that gives voice to Black women in different contexts of struggle and survival. |
Olhos d'Água (2014) Water Eyes |
Short stories that tell stories of pain and overcoming, reinforcing the importance of orality and memory. |
Cantiga de Ninar Gente Grande (2018) Lullaby for Grown-Ups |
A poetic work that mixes lyricism and resistance. The texts address memory, ancestry and social issues and offer a sensitive reflection on the struggles and stories of Black people. Evaristo transforms pain into strength, to enchant and provoke the reader. |
Her early texts feature marginalized people, Black and/or poor people, and women, who have a lot to do with her life story. They are not exactly autobiographical texts, but rather the result of an experience of exclusion, of the observation of a Brazilian reality that the writer transposes to them and her characters.
Water Eyes
Summary of the article Conceição Evaristo’s Literature Recovers Black-Brazilian Ancestry, by Margareth Artur/Portal de Revistas da USP
Conceição Evaristo is a prominent author of contemporary Brazilian female literature, celebrated for exploring ancestry and resistance in her works. Awarded Literary Personality of the Year by the Jabuti Prize in 2019, she uses writing as a tool for social denunciation and valorization of Afro-descendant voices. Her concept of "escrevivência" reflects individual and collective experiences, connecting pain and painlessness.
In the short story Water Eyes, Conceição articulates ancestry and memory, highlighting the transmission of knowledge between generations of Black women, seen as a “family tree.” Afro-Brazilian elements, such as Oxum, reinforce the cultural identity and the richness of Black heritage. Her work questions inequalities and black genocide and reaffirms collective memory as a basis for resistance and social transformation.
Six books written by Conceição Evaristo that you should read
Representation in Brazilian literature through the experience and writing of a Black woman, by Anna Capelli
"Escrevivência" is the term that Conceição Evaristo uses to define what she does. It means “telling our stories from our perspectives.” The neologism is composed of “writing” and “experience” as in experience. It represents her subjectivity as a Black woman in Brazilian society, which, according to her, would inevitably contaminate her writing.
Conceição Evaristo was born in Pindura Saia, a favela located in the southern area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. In the 1970s, she moved to Rio de Janeiro to study Portuguese at UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro). She worked as a teacher in public schools in the city. The writer also has a master's and doctorate in Literature. This entire trajectory has profoundly impacted Conceição Evaristo's work, in such a way that she symbolizes the importance of having representation in Brazilian literature.
If you know anything about Brazilian literature — or even if you are from Brazil and have studied our national authors — the names you remember are Machado de Assis, José de Alencar, and Carlos Drummond de Andrade, for example. So here are six books by Conceição Evaristo for you to read and get to know Brazilian culture through the eyes, and words, of a Black woman.
Water Eyes
This is a collection of short stories, each one narrating the experiences of different women. What they all have in common is the hard life in the suburbs, which exposes the reality of poverty and urban violence in which Black people live.
Unsubmissive Tears of Women
In another collection of short stories published in 2011, Evaristo brings the reader a delicate portrait of affection and solidarity, once again about women and with the inclusion of many reflections throughout its pages. More than the tricky situation in which they find themselves, it shows how Black women have in common the ability to overcome suffering through resistance and unity.
Ponciá Vicêncio
Ponciá Vicêncio, from 2003, is Conceição Evaristo's first novel. The book, named after its protagonist, follows her story from childhood to adulthood, describing Ponciá's feelings, relationships, and identity issues to highlight issues such as gender, race, and social discrimination.
Alleys of Memory
The title of this 2006 novel reveals its construction: it is based on Conceição's experience growing up in the Brazilian suburbs. The memories written in this book are from a distant past, and the narrative used is as tangled as the alleys of a favela.
Poems of Memory and Other Movements
A poetry anthology published in 2008 that contains sixty-five poems full of lyricism. They tell stories about ancestry with female voices. Love, religion, prejudice and other themes are part of the narratives that allow for intense reflection. Constructed on personal and collective experiences, Conceição Evaristo describes life through dreams and hopes beyond the hardships of everyday life.
Stories of slight mistakes and similarities
Published in 2016, this is Evaristo's latest book and a tribute to oral tradition that includes twelve short stories and a novel, all permeated by the fantastic and the magical — supernatural events that used to fill the author's imagination when she was a child. The characters in the book — mainly women — tell and listen to stories passed down from one generation to another, which allows for the creation of a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary.
Poems by Conceição Evaristo
In the poem Women’s Voices, the lyrical self-rescues her ancestry, when talking about the women who preceded her, all with a history of oppression for being black and poor. However, the text has an optimistic tone regarding the new generation of Black women:
Women’s Voices
My great-grandfather's voice echoed as a child in the holds of the ship. echoed laments of a lost childhood. My grandmother's voice echoed approval of the whites who owned everything. |
My mother's voice echoed softly in revolt in the depths of other people's kitchens under the bundles dirty clothes of the white people along the dusty path towards the favela |
My voice still echoes perplexed verses with rhymes of blood and hunger. My daughter's voice gathers all our voices gathers in itself the silent voices choked in our throats |
My daughter's voice collects within itself speech and action. Yesterday — today — now. In my daughter's voice the resonance will be heard The echo of life-freedom. |
The second poem is Of calm and silence. In its first stanza, metalanguage is present in the personification of the word, as if the act of poetic creation were anthropophagic:
Of calm and silence
When I bite the word, please, do not rush me, I want to chew, tear between my teeth, the skin, the bones, the marrow of the verb, to thus verse the heart of things. |
In the second stanza, the poet's gaze sees what the verses will one day show, as writing is also an exercise in observation: |
When my gaze is lost in nothingness, please, do not wake me up, I want to retain, inside the iris, the smallest shadow, of the tiniest movement. |
In the third stanza, the lyrical self-highlights imagination as a creative impulse and the existence of other worlds, “submerged worlds,” without roads, inhabited by artists of the word: |
When my feet slow down in their march, please, do not force me. Why walk? Let me stay, let me be still, in apparent inertia. Not every traveler walks the roads, there are submerged worlds, that only the silence of poetry penetrates. |
In the last stanza, the lyrical self-links the world of imagination to that of memory. In this way, memory is this “submerged world” and inevitable in the “calm and silence” of the creative process. Thus, emotion is also inevitable: |
Remembering is necessary The sea roams undulating beneath my thoughts Wild memory takes the helm: Remembering is necessary. The back-and-forth movement in the waters-memories from my tearful eye’s overflows life, salting my face and my taste. I am eternally shipwrecked, but the deep oceans do not frighten me nor immobilize me. A deep passion is the buoy that emerges for me. I know that the mystery subsists beyond the waters. |
Finally, the poem Death Certificate, which also brings back memories — a typical element of the author’s works — to intertwine past and present in the same place of oppression and violence. It highlights the blood and death that make up the history of Black people in Brazil:
Death certificate
The bones of our ancestors collect our eternal tears for the dead of today |
The eyes of our ancestors, Black stars stained with blood, rise from the depths of time watching over our painful memory |
The land is covered in ditches and any carelessness in life is certain to lead to death. The bullet never misses its target, in the dark a Black body sways and dances. The death certificate, as the old-timers know, was drawn up since the slave traders |
Recognition and awards
Conceição Evaristo has received several awards and has been translated into several languages, consolidating her importance in world literature. In 2018, she was nominated to the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), a fact that brought to the fore discussions about representation and elitism in Brazilian cultural institutions.
In 2016, she won the Faz Diferença Award (Makes a Difference Award), in the prose category, from the newspaper O Globo. In 2018, she won the Literature Award from the Government of Minas Gerais, for her body of work. In 2019, she won the Jabuti Award, in the Literary Personality of the Year category.
Conceição Evaristo was the subject of the Ocupação Itaú Cultural (Itaú Cultural Occupation), in 2017. She won the 2015 Jabuti Literature Award, in the Stories and Chronicles category, for Water Eyes. She also received the Faz a Diferença Award, in the prose category, 2017; the Claudia Award, in the culture category, 2017; The Government of Minas Gerais awarded her a Literature Prize; in addition to being recognized as a standout in 2017 by Bravo magazine.
Conceição Evaristo's Legacy
Conceição Evaristo is more than a woman writer; she is an intellectual and activist who uses literature as a tool for denunciation and social transformation. Her writing not only gives visibility to historically silenced voices but also inspires new generations of writers and readers to reflect on structural inequalities and the strength of collective resistance ֎
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