The Lost Faces

Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery. Yet racism still shapes daily life—silencing Black voices, denying opportunities, and endangering lives. In a country where 56% of the population is Black, fewer than 20% of its historical icons are. If you search for Brazil’s Black heroines, you’ll find the same result: a single, generic image labeled “Black Woman in a Headwrap.” No name. No story. Just an unknown figure.

Banco do Brasil decided to fight that erasure. With WMcCann, the bank recovered the faces and legacies of three Black women who helped shape Brazil’s future, telling their stories and showcasing them in media and museums. As a result, their portraits are now being used as educational material in public schools. Through resistance and reparation, we’re rewriting history—because only by teaching the truth can we change the future.