The holiday November 20 is Dia da Consciência Negra, otherwise known as Black Awareness Day. The annual Brazilian holiday is meant to bring awareness of the black community and their great contributions to the country. It recalls the sad past of the African slave trade as well. Some groups organize lectures and educational events for children of African descendents, including the group O Movimento Negro, which aims to raise respect and pride for their heritage. Zumbi dos Palmares, one of the most significant icons for the African American community, was the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares, one of the largest settlement of escaped slaves in the colonial age, located in the Captaincy of Pernambuco. Zumbi dos Palmares was the great leader of this community. We celebrate this holiday for the past, the present, and the future.