Identity (Manuel Sacramento)

In 1877, on Queimado farm, located in Campos and belonging to Commander Julião Ribeiro de Castro, an insurrection was prevented by betrayal. The blame fell on the “crioulo [Black man] Manuel do Sacramento.” Contemporary sources said that he “came to the city at night to buy the Monitor Campista and other incendiary newspapers,” and “read and explained them to his companions who understood that they were entitled to their freedom.” They planned to invade the farm’s main house when the master was “drinking tea” to demand their manumission. Sacramento said “that if his master insisted that they return to work without paying them for their day’s work, they would go to the city to complain to the Courts.” Reading was an effective form of freedom for the enslaved.