Corpos cativos mentes libertas: o letramento dos ingênuos em Maceió (1871-1888)

Abstract

This present study addresses the formal instruction of the free children of enslaved women who were liberated under the Free Womb Law of September 28, 1871. Thus, it can be observed that the 19th century was a period marked by constant discussions about the liberation of the black population among the Brazilian elites and authorities. From the 1871 decade onwards, the crucial point of the debates revolved around how the process of abolition would be carried out without causing harm to the dominant society. In this sense, the Brazilian elite believed that those who came from slavery did not possess the necessary skills for a life of freedom due to the vices brought from captivity. Therefore, in order to be integrated into society, it was first necessary to undergo a process of discipline and appreciation for work and social values based on respect for the master and the dominant society. According to this mentality, only after this process was completed, would black people be ready to enjoy life in society. It was following this logic that Public Instruction presented itself as an effective mechanism capable of solving the evils that blacks would have brought from the slave quarters, as education carried potentials for moral correction and training for work, and was therefore the only way to lead them to learn the dominant civilizing processes. It was based on this mentality that the Central School was created in the province of Alagoas in 1887, an institution intended for the education of "ingênuos" (the name given to the free children of enslaved women after the regulation of Law 2.040) and destitute minors. Dialoguing with the documentation found in the Public Archive of Alagoas (APA), the Historical and Geographical Institute of Alagoas (IHGAL), the National Library, among others, this study sought to understand which educational models were offered to this population, as well as who were the teachers of primary and professional instruction and how the Central School operated. Issues such as the institution's revenue, debates between the Imperial and Alagoas governments, demands surrounding the school's operation, number of staff, student numbers, and everything else that could shed light on the instruction offered to "ingênuos" and destitute minors in the province of Alagoas from 1871 to 1888 were privileged in this study.