Cruz e Sousa

• Name — Cruz e Sousa • Birth Name — João da Cruz • Born — 24 November 1861 • Birthplace — Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Empire of Brazil • Died — 19 March 1898 • Place of death — Antônio Carlos, Minas Gerais, Brazil • Occupation — Poet, journalist • Notable Works — Broquéis, Faróis, Missal • Spouse — Gavita Gonçalves • Parents — Guilherme da Cruz Carolina Eva da Conceição

Cruz e Sousa was born João da Cruz on 24 November 1861, in the city of Desterro (present-day Florianópolis), in the province of Santa Catarina. His father was Guilherme da Cruz, a bricklayer, and his mother was Carolina Eva da Conceição – with both of them being freed Afro-Brazilian slaves. Sousa's former owner, Marshal Guilherme Xavier de Sousa, treated him like a close relative, teaching him how to read, write and speak Greek, French and Latin. He also gave João da Cruz his surname Sousa. Cruz e Sousa also studied Mathematics and natural sciences under the guidance of famous German biologist Fritz Müller. In 1881, Cruz e Sousa served as director of the newspaper Tribuna Popular, where he wrote abolitionist articles. In 1883, Sousa tried to become an attorney for the city of Laguna, but was not accepted for being black. In 1885 he published his first poetry book, Tropos e Fantasias, in partnership with Virgílio Várzea. In 1890 he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he worked as an archivist at the Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil. In 1893 he published his two famous books Missal and Broquéis, that introduced the Symbolist movement in Brazil. In November of the same year, he married Gavita Gonçalves, an educated black girl who worked as a seamstress, and had with her four children; however, all four would die prematurely due to tuberculosis, what made Gavita have a mental breakdown and go insane ever since. Cruz e Sousa died in what is today the city of Antônio Carlos, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, on March 19, 1898, due to tuberculosis.

• Tropos e Fantasias (1885 — in partnership with Virgílio Várzea) • Broquéis (1893) • Missal (1893) • Evocações (1898) • Faróis (1900 — posthumous) • Últimos Sonetos (1905 — posthumous) • O Livro Derradeiro (1945, expanded 1961 — posthumous) • Dispersos (1961 — posthumous)

He also worked under the names Dante Negro and Cisne Negro. The authorities additionally record the headings Dante Negro, Cisne Negro and João da Cruz e Souza. His recorded language was Portuguese.

Cruz e Sousa is recorded as poet, journalist and writer.