João Cândido Felisberto

João Cândido Felisberto (1880-1969) was a Brazilian sailor.In 1930 and 1940 decades, he became an eugenicist and integralist.In the last twenty years of his long life, he became a communist.He died old, poor, sick and forgotten in 1969.

Early life, until the Whip's Uprising, in 1910

João Cândido Felisberto born in 1880, in Brazilian city of Encruzilhada do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.His family was very poor and he was black.His father and his mother were former slaves. He entered in Brazilian Navy, with just 13 years old, in 1894.

The conditions for Brazilian sailors, were terrible. Being a black, João Cândido Felisberto,was even more prejudiced by brazilian navy.In 1910, after a sadistic whiping of a sailor, he began a revolt, called in Brazil as "Revolta da Chibata" - "Whip's uprising".They took the control of two brazilian battleships, both built in England.Their claims was the end of torture and bad food, in Brazilian Navy.The new brazilian president, Hermes da Fonseca aproved an amnestry, but this was broked.João Cândido and many of his followers were arrested, tortured and many of them were murdered in prision.João Cândido was tortured, got tuberculosis, but he became healthy again in some months, after to be released. Brazilian press, nicknamed "Almirante Negro" or "Black Admiral", for his acts.

Life between Whip's revolt and Second World War

After his release, he became a poor and discriminated man.Working in a harbor, with a very low salary.In 1930, he was arrested again, but was soon released.In 1933, he entered in an eugenicist and fascist movement "integralismo" ( integralism ), where he got respect.For he, fascism and communism were good things.He was a respected integralist; among the leaders of movement. Brazilian military were massive against integralism, fascism or any kind of eugenics.In 1938, the integralist uprising was easily crushed by brazilian military. With less than twenty deaths, the brazilian militaries, defeated the integralists' coup and this organization was then out of law.

Life after World War II

With Brazil at war with the Axis power, from 1942 onwards, integralism became a small and powerless movement. Germany's defeat in 1945 reduced integralism to almost nothing importance.João Cândido Felisberto became a communist.Ever poor and discriminated, he told in 1968, that he was proud of to be an integralist.João Cândido Felisberto died of cancer in 1969, in Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. He died with no military patent, forgotten, poor, very old and sick.

Legacy and statue

Even the Whip's uprising, senting João Cândido to prison and torture, this uprising ended with the massive use of torture, against brazilian sailors.Being a leftist (and also an eugenicist and fascist), he became respected by brazilian left.In last years, a statue was built for him, in Rio de Janeiro.

References(both in Portuguese)

* http://www.coladaweb.com/perso/joao_candido.htm

* http://www.terrabrasileira.net/folclore/origens/africana/chibata.html