Júlia Dias Carneiro

A woman in Rio de Janeiro discovered that her home sat atop the long‑lost Pretos Novos cemetery, where thousands of newly arrived enslaved Africans were buried between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Her accidental finding revealed a major historical site linked to the nearby Valongo Wharf, a key entry point in the transatlantic slave trade. After years of community interest and academic attention, the location developed into the Pretos Novos Research and Memory Institute, hosting exhibitions, educational activities and cultural events to preserve the memory of the victims. Despite increased recognition following the rediscovery of Valongo Wharf and its UNESCO heritage listing, Merced continues to seek support to expand the memorial and maintain awareness of the history buried beneath the neighborhood.

A woman in Rio de Janeiro discovered that her home stood atop the historic Cemetery of the New Blacks, where an estimated 40,000 enslaved Africans were buried between the 18th and 19th centuries. The site, connected to the nearby Valongo Wharf, reveals the scale and brutality of Brazil’s slave trade. Her house has since been transformed into the Pretos Novos Institute, a cultural and memorial center preserving archaeological remains and educating visitors about the transatlantic slave trade. Increased recognition, including UNESCO listing of the Valongo Wharf, has expanded efforts to protect and commemorate the site as a fragile but vital part of Afro-Brazilian history.