About the memory center
The Sergio Buarque de Holanda Center for Documentation and Political Memory preserves records of one of the most important experiences of the working class in recent Brazilian history.
The Documentation and Memory Center
The Sérgio Buarque de Holanda Center for Documentation and Political Memory, part of the Perseu Abramo Foundation, holds records of one of the most important experiences of the working class in Brazil’s recent history. The CSBH is responsible for managing the historical archives of the PT’s National Directorate, as well as promoting research and reflection on the history of the party, the left, and the working class, working on several fronts.
The collection consists of documentation that provides insight into important moments in the reorganization of the contemporary Brazilian left, especially the history of the struggle to achieve and maintain our democracy after the end of the military regime. It provides insights into the relationship between workers and politics and the national political system, and allows researchers to analyze the history of the Workers’ Party (PT) based on evidence produced in the reality of historical processes. At a time when democratic debate is being replaced by polarization based on prejudice and lies, a commitment to the search for truth is a commitment to democracy and to the future of the country. And this is the commitment that the FPA has made through the Sérgio Buarque de Holanda Center.
We have been working to expand and make the collection available, as well as to diversify this documentation. For this reason, we are building a collection of interviews based on oral history methodology, which collects testimonies from activists and leaders who contributed to the Party’s trajectory. The gathering of these memories offers new perspectives and nuances on this history, complementing and enriching our collection. We currently have two important projects completed, carried out with leaders of the Workers’ Party, investigating different subjects: PT 40 years and Stories of struggles and the construction of sectoral action to combat racism in the PT.
In addition to document processing, CSBH produces content for the dissemination of memory and knowledge, such as exhibitions, public lectures, seminars, debate cycles, workshops, among others, all available for consultation on our website. Organizing, producing, and disseminating content is central to our work, which seeks to contribute to contemporary political debate. This is in addition to the sector’s efforts to produce content and engage in dialogue with various audiences, so that we can contribute to the education of activists, supporters, and those interested in the history of the Workers’ Party and also in contemporary political history.
CSBH Books
The CSBH also has a line of publications that aims to contribute to the dissemination and circulation of knowledge about the history of the working class struggles. Through the publications produced by the Center, we collaborate with the creation of a space for the circulation of democratic, left-wing, and politicized knowledge.
Of particular note is the history and social sciences journal Perseu: História, Memória e Política (Perseus: History, Memory, and Politics), which has been in existence for 17 years. One of the unique characteristics that sets Perseu apart from other journals disseminating academic historiographical production is that, because it is part of the Perseu Abramo Foundation, we have the opportunity to welcome studies that openly and democratically reconcile the rigor necessary for the production of knowledge with political engagement and positioning.
In addition to the magazine, we also publish Cadernos Perseu, a collection that seeks to disseminate works that constitute historical documents relevant to the memory and history of the left, currently consisting of four volumes, all available online.
Another impressive collection is História do Povo Brasileiro (History of the Brazilian People), currently comprising twenty titles. It aims to publish recent historiographical contributions, based on new perspectives and objects, with themes that seek to discuss the country and our history in light of burning political issues. These themes, which encompass the diversity of social movements and organizations, rebellions, resistance, etc., help us to understand our own history from the perspective of the working class struggle. We are working to make most of these works available online with free access for all.
Remembrance Calendar
We also have a Remembrance Calendar created by our team, with approximately 600 entries of historical events related to the struggles of workers, indigenous peoples, women, Black people, LGBTQIA+ people, among others, as well as references to leaders and intellectuals from the left-wing political field. Based on the events in the Calendar, we publish these historical events in our media outlets. Check out the FPA Instagram page and follow our #tbt’s.
Preserving and disseminating the memory and history of the Workers’ Party, placing it in the broader context of the working class struggle, is the task that guides all the actions of the Perseu Abramo Foundation’s Center for Memory and Political Documentation. The dispute over the narrative, interpretation, and attribution of meaning to the actions of men and women over time is part of the political dispute of the present. This is how the CSBH aims to contribute to the great challenges that lie ahead for the Party!
Virtual exhibitions
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