In view of the growing interest of Brazilian teachers and educational authorities in developing anti-racist policies, this article intends to discuss the implementation of the "National guidelines for the teaching of ethnic and race relations and of Afro-Brazilian and African history and culture", published in 2004. We consider these guidelines as an important pedagogical device, which allows to introduce for the first time in the schools the discussion about race relations in Brazil, so often silenced or undermined by those who have labeled Brazil as a racial democracy. We give special attention to the potentials and limitations of working with concepts such as Afro-Brazilian culture and black identity.
teaching of ethnic and race relations; Afro-Brazilian history and culture; black identity