Joaquim Serra (born Joaquim Maria Serra Sobrinho) was a Brazilian journalist, professor, politician and playwright. He was born in

São Luís, Maranhão São Luís (, ''Saint Louis'') is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Upaon-açu Island (Big Island, in Tupi Language) or Ilha de São Luís (''Saint Louis' Island''), in the Baía de São ...

on July 20, 1838, and died in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

on October 29, 1888. He was the patron of Chair 21 at the

Brazilian Academy of Letters The Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL) ( English: ''Brazilian Academy of Letters'') is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on Tue ...

, by choice of

José do Patrocínio José Carlos do Patrocínio (October 9, 1854 – January 29, 1905) was a Brazilian writer, journalist, activist, orator and pharmacist. He was among the most well-known proponents of the abolition of slavery in Brazil, and known as "O Tigre da Ab ...

. His father, Leonel Joaquim Serra, was active in politics and journalism, writing ''O Cometa'' (1835) and ''Crônica dos Cronistas'' (1838), in São Luís. Joaquim studied humanities in his native province. Between 1854 and 1858, he was in Rio de Janeiro for admission to the old Military School, a career he abandoned, returning to São Luís. Without further seeking a college degree, he embarked on a career in journalism and poetry. His first writings (1858–60) were published in '' Publicador Maranhense'', directed by Sotero dos Reis. In 1862, with some friends, he founded the newspaper ''Coalizão'', which supported the Liberal Party in politics. In 1867, he founded '' Semanário Maranhense''. He was professor of Grammar and Literature at the Liceu Maranhense, provincial deputy (1864–67), and secretary of the Government of Paraíba (1864–67). In 1868, he took up residence in Rio de Janeiro. He was part of the newsrooms of ''Reforma'', ''Gazeta de Notícias'', ''Folha Nova'' and ''O País'', and he served as director of the Official Gazette (1878–82). He was deputy general (1878–81) for Maranhão, and a tenacious combatant in the

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

campaign against slavery. He was among the most vocal of Brazilian abolitionists, according to

André Rebouças André Pinto Rebouças (13 January 1838 – 9 April 1898) was a Brazilian military engineer, abolitionist and inventor, son of Antônio Pereira Rebouças (1798–1880) and Carolina Pinto Rebouças. Lawyer, member of Parliament (representing the B ...

. He also wrote for the theater, as an author and translator. His pieces, however, apparently never were printed. He adopted several pseudonyms: Amigo Ausente, Ignotus, Max Sedlitz, Pietro de Castellamare, Tragaldabas. A few days after his burial,

Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short sto ...

praised him: “When the day of the abolitionist victory came, all of his brave battle companions gloriously mentioned the name of Joaquim Serra among the disciples of the first hour, among the most strenuous, strong and devoted.”Bio
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References

{{Authority control Brazilian writers