Jacinta Maria de Santana had her body used for “scientific experiments” at USP Law School; After protests, the unit withdrew its tribute to the doctor
Little is known about the life of Jacinta Maria de Santana, a black woman who lived on the streets of downtown São Paulo around 1900. Rare historical records show that she felt ill on November 26, with difficulty breathing and nausea. She staggered onto Rua Dutra Rodrigues, near Estação da Luz, and died while walking towards Santa Casa de São Paulo.
His body was entrusted to the care of the doctor and professor Amâncio de Carvalho, who taught Forensic Medicine at the University Faculty of Law of São Paulo, in Largo São Francisco. The professor, who conducted research on the embalming of corpses, was accused of displaying Jacinta’s body in public spaces and university classrooms as a scientific curiosity for at least three decades. The corpse was allegedly subjected to humiliation during hazing by students.
After about 120 years of oblivion, the story was recovered by historian Suzane Jardim, a master’s student in Social Sciences at the ABC Federal University. Analyzing newspapers published by black entities in the 20th century, Suzane found a text from 1929 that reported the burial of a mummy. The discovery turned into a report on the Ponte Jornalismo website in 2021.
The text, in turn, inspired the Cia do Pássaro – Flight and theatrea company with 12 years of existence, which creates the show Jacinta – You only die when they say your name for the last timeon display in Sao Paulo.
“Our project wants to reverse the process of erasure and dehumanization of these people, giving them back their names and their stories,” says director Dawton Abranches. “Their stories help us understand power relations and subjugation in society.”
Under the aesthetic influence of Afro-Brazilian mythology, the show reveals the historical characteristics of the period in which Jacinta lived and shows how some are reflected in current society. Actress Gislaine Nascimento tells the protagonist’s story, but she reflects on her own journey, showing the thin line between actress and character. The character Tata (Alessandro Marba) blurs the boundaries of time and space, accentuating the relevance of the drama.
In addition to historian Suzane Jardim’s research, black authors such as Leda Maria Martins, Cida Bento, Neusa Santos Souza and Sueli Carneiro support the dramaturgy.
The show is part of the “Rescue Trilogy”, which recovers the erasure of historical figures. The first was Baquaqua, in 2016, born from the only biography written by a former slave in Brazil. And the next one will be about ThebesJoaquim Pinto de Oliveira, a black architect who was enslaved in the 18th century and directly influenced the city’s architectural thinking.
The project is carried out through the XVI Zé Renato Theatrical Promotion Award for the city of São Paulo, took place at the company’s headquarters, Espaço Cia do Pássaro, and disseminated through the Unified Educational Centers (CEU), always with workshops and conversations public led by black women.
The tributes to the doctor were withdrawn by the Faculty of Law
Also in 2021, the law school created a commission to investigate the case Jacinta Maria de Santana. The debate only advanced in the second half of 2022, when black movement students began demanding a place in college.
“Early 2023, on tour The story that history doesn’t tellorganized by Travessia, management of (academic center) 11th of August at that time, we introduced the freshmen to Jacinta’s story and how violence against her meant violence against us black women who occupied that space,” says student Amanda Medina, co-founder of the Coalition of Black Collectives at USP and student representative on the USP Human Rights Commission.
“We organized a table open to the public to discuss the name change, we created a petition that obtained more than 1,000 signatures, including representatives of black movements, the media, students inside and outside USP, academic centers and collectives” , he says .
The Congregation of the Faculty of Law of the USP decided to remove the name of Amâncio de Carvalho, now deceased, from one of its classrooms on March 30. The agency also decided to put up an explanatory plaque on the episode. “The measures were not taken by the director, but by the Congregation, the highest governing body of the college”, he explains.
A committee has been defined to choose the new name of the room, yet to be defined. The students want “Sala Mães de Maio”, a reference to the group of women who have lost children in incidents of police violence in recent decades in the country.
“This achievement has given me enormous certainty that only the collective and organized struggle of the most oppressed sectors is capable of transforming the world we live in. As a black student, quota holder and future law graduate, I feel that this diploma does not it’s only for my mother, it’s also for Giacinta”, says Amanda.
Celso Campilongo, director of the USP Faculty of Law, says that the profile of Largo São Francisco students has changed a lot in the last five years and is more diverse. The 191st class graduated in February, the first among racial-ethnic students in the history of an institution with nearly 200 years of history.
“Today we need to pay more attention to the socioeconomic and racial-ethnic profile we have in college. The adoption of the quota law was one of the most important changes of the USP in its 90-year history,” says the teacher.
Service
Part: Jacinta – You only die when they say your name for the last time
When: Until December 10th*
Timetables: Saturday (8.00pm) and Sunday (7.00pm)
Box office: free tickets – pick up 1 hour before
* On December 2 (Saturday, 9.30 pm), public meeting “Dramaturgy and ancestral biographies”, with the playwright and screenwriter Dione Carlos. Accessibility in Libra on this day
Where: Espaço Cia. do Pássaro
Address: Rua Álvaro de Carvalho, 177 – Anhangabaú (Metro red line).
Realization: Zé Renato Theater Award, Department of Culture of the Municipality of São Paulo and Cia do Pássaro – Voice and Theatre.
Author and direction: Dawton Abranches
Launch: Gislaine Nascimento, Alessandro Marba and Camila Silva
Production: Platform – Cultural Production Studio
*This content was produced in collaboration with Cia. do Pássaro and the USP Black Collective Coalition
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
