Masonic heroes in the historiography of abolition in São Paulo

Abstract

Born as a mutual aid organization, Freemasonry would gain new contours, consolidating itself as an important sociability space in the second half of the 18th century and, institutionalized in Brazil at the threshold of the 19th century. The brotherhood has expanded its ranks by incorporating into its organization important characters of its time, from high-ranking politicians to influential activists. This article presents the historiographic debate about the construction of the memories of Abolition based on the hypothesis that Freemasonry strategically chose to evoke the image of some characters in its history, in order to positively cement their experiences and supposed protagonism through contemporary Masonic narratives made by Freemason writers. It is noted in this long journey that the so-called Masonic heroes, emerged and disappeared from this literature in the light of time and narrative.