Dona Afra (Afra Joaquina Vieira Muniz)

Afra Joaquina was an African woman married to her former master, the freedman Sabino Francisco Muniz, also of African origin, who paid for his wife’s freedom at the same time in which he became the owner of other enslaved people. Sabino died between 1870 and 1872, leaving all his possessions to his wife and giving freedom to two enslaved women, Severina and Maria do Carmo, as long as they remained with Afra until her death. However, they filed a lawsuit asking for their freedom on the grounds that they were being punished by the widow and her son, Leôncio. Defense lawyers asked for unconditional freedom, but the judge dismissed the lawsuit in 1874, and the two enslaved women were eventually forced to serve Afra.