Zumbi dos Palmares was a Brazilian Quilombola leader of a group of Afro-Brazilians who lived in maroon communities known as quilombos. He was the last king of the Quilombo dos Palmares, the largest of the quilombos founded by escaped enslaved Afro-Brazilians in what is now Alagoas, Brazil. Zumbi was born in 1655 to a woman named Sabina and an unnamed father in what is today União dos Palmares, Alagoas.
At the age of six, Zumbi was captured by the Portuguese and given to a missionary, Father Antônio Melo who baptized him with the Christian name, Francisco, and taught him Portuguese, Latin, and the Catholic sacraments. Despite this religious upbringing, Zumbi eventually returned to Palmares in 1670 at the age of 15. By then, he was already known for his physical prowess and tactical skill in battle. In his early twenties, he had earned a reputation as a respected military strategist. In 1675, he became commander-in-chief of Palmares’ armed forces.
In 1678, during a power struggle, Zumbi killed his uncle, Ganga Zumba, who was then king of Palmares. One reason for this conflict was Ganga Zumba’s willingness to accept a peace offer from Pedro de Almeida, the Portuguese governor of Pernambuco. The deal granted freedom to runaway slaves who submitted to Portuguese rule. Zumbi opposed the offer, believing that no true freedom existed as long as slavery continued elsewhere in Brazil. He rejected Almeida’s proposal and challenged Ganga Zumba’s leadership, which led to the latter’s death, possibly by poisoning.
After assuming the kingship, Zumbi intensified the resistance against Portuguese forces. Between 1680 and 1686, the Portuguese launched six military expeditions against Palmares, all of which failed. However, in 1694, Portuguese forces under commanders Domingos Jorge Velho and Bernardo Vieira de Melo and assisted by Indigenous Brazilian fighters, mounted a massive assault. After 42 days of fighting, they destroyed the central settlement of Palmares, called Cerca do Macaco, on February 6, 1694.
Zumbi continued to resist but was eventually captured and killed on November 20, 1695. He was decapitated, and his head was displayed on a pike as a warning to others. Despite his death, Zumbi became a legendary figure in Brazilian folklore. Many enslaved people believed he was a demigod and that his strength came from being possessed by Orixás, deities associated with the Yoruba religion of West Africa. Some believed he was the son of Ogum, a Yoruba Orisha linked to war and iron.
Today, Zumbi is remembered as a hero and a symbol of Black resistance. His death is commemorated annually on November 20, celebrated as Black Consciousness Day (Dia da Consciência Negra), honoring his fight for freedom and justice.
