A Sociedade de Mineração de Mato Grosso e os trabalhadores africanos livres. 1851-1865

Abstract

In nineteenth-century Brazil, the term “Free African” was used to designate the Africans rescued from slave ships during the repression of the slave trade. Despite being foreseen in both the 1831 and the 1850 abolition laws, the transportation of these persons back to Africa never happened, and they were kept in Brazil. All the Africans seized from the slave trade were legally free but remained under the guardianship of the State, and were to serve private individuals or public institutions. After 1850, the policy for the assignment of Free Africans for service changed, and they would no longer serve private individuals. The vast majority of them were assigned to public institutions and public service in the provinces. However, there were concessions to private companies of public interest, such as the Amazon Steam Navigation Company led the Baron of Maua and the Mining Corporation of Mato Grosso. This article analyses the research on the creation of the Mining Corporation of Mato Grosso examining details of its foundation, the agreements for the concession of lots for mining, the background of the main directors of the company, and the counterpart of the company to the state, which was basically the construction of a road from the province of Mato Grosso to the province of Para, and the domestication of the Native Indians in the places to be explored. The company used the Free Africans in its core activity, that is, the exploration of gold and diamonds in alluvial deposits, the production of food, the clearing of paths in the dense forest, the extraction of the medicinal herbs (“poaia”), and other activities. The Brazilian Imperial Government, in order to promote
development and progress throughout the country, gave support to private companies engaging in commercial activities related to agriculture, mining, navigation, railroads, and urban development. To the Mining Corporation of Mato Grosso, the government granted one hundred Free Africans. The same way as other compulsory workers such as Indians, mestizos, and poor people, the government made available the labor force of the Free Africans to the capitalist development of the Empire.