African American and Queen Literature in the Classroom

       UVA – UNIVERSIDADE VEIGA DE ALMEIDA

                   GRADUAÇÃO EM LETRAS/INGLÊS

 

 

 

 

                               

                                  ALUNA: Mariana Pinto Apolinário

 

 

 African American and Queen Literature in the Classroom and its Results in a Future Without Violence and Prejudice                                                       

 

 

                                                             

 

 

 

 

 

                                             

                     

                                     Rio de Janeiro  

                                              2026

Based on the current society context, we can observe different approaches to topics previously considered taboo to discuss, especially in the classroom, and bring to the forefront debates that prepare students to integrate into a society where they will have to deal with different groups of people, some of whom are frequently marginalized by prejudice, of which some students may be a part and have already perceived that they are affected by such discrimination. Therefore, I propose the integration of the study of African American literature and Queer Literature into the English classes for 9th-grade high school classes.

Brazil, according to the IBGE census, has 55.5% of black citizens, more than half of its population, and this group is also present in the classroom. Like in African American literature, Brazil also has great black authors who address racial issues, and, as in African American literature, there is still a deficit in the study of these authors. As an example of a study, one could propose the relationship between the work of Maya Angelou and Conceição Evaristo. Both, within their racial and gender contexts, address the experiences and difficulties faced in society by the black population and by black women as individuals. Such a study could bring to the students' attention a discussion about how the history of the black and enslaved population still resonates today.

Still within the debate on social minorities, I propose, also, the study of Queer Literature as study material. I suggest, for example, a debate on the works of James Baldwin and Caio Fernando Abreu, but also the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in general contexts. In addition to these authors, one could cite the fact that Brazil elected 26 transgender people to the municipal chamber in 2024 and the important presence of congresswoman Erika Hilton in the Chamber of Deputies. Although the subject may cause some reaction in the classroom, the project aims to teach students that queer experiences are valid manifestations of individuals who struggle amidst violence.