The essay in the April edition of CSP analyzes, from a historical perspective, the relationships between the health of the Black population, structural racism, and the politics of death and emancipation in Brazil.
From the 20th century until the implementation of the National Policy for Comprehensive Health of the Black Population in 2006, it observes how the State perpetuates inequalities through racist mechanisms that impact access to healthcare. On the other hand, the resistance of Black movements is highlighted, which construct emancipatory knowledge and policies based on cultural, community, and religious actions.
The omission of racism in mental health services, the silencing of colorism, and the marks of historical violence against Black women are also discussed as expressions of institutional racism.
The authors emphasize the importance of the anti-racist struggle as a condition for truly democratic healthcare and point to the urgent need for practices and policies that confront racism in an intersectional and territorialized way.