LITERATURE AS A HUMAN RIGHT: REFLECTIONS ON BLACK IDENTITY, IMAGE AND AFRO-BRAZILIAN CULTURE ON THE COVERS OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS AT THE TIME OF LAW 10.639/03

Abstract

We took as object of study the presence of the Afro and Afro-Brazilian theme, as well as the representation of black people in the titles and covers of children's books selected by the Literature in My House Program, launched in 2003, the year in which Law 10.639/2003 was enacted. Understanding literature as an essential part of human formation, we consider the literary book not only a vehicle for entertainment, but a powerful instrument for strengthening the cultural identity of students. The analysis of these works emerges as an opportunity to reflect on the issues and experiences concerning black people. In a corpus of 50 books, only 7 titles were found whose covers or terms alluded to black people. However, what emerged from this survey were often stereotyped images and superficial allusions to the black presence. Only one work presented graphic elements sufficiently explicit to contextualize the black populations brought to Brazil. Thus, the hypothesis that the covers of the books would reflect, in a significant way, the historical struggles and resistances of the black people did not materialize. We conclude, therefore, that, despite the symbolic advance represented by the enactment of the law, the selection of books carried out by the Literature in My Home Program did not reverberate the battles and historical claims of the black populations.