Uma senhora maranhense que cultiva as belas letras: Maria Firmina dos Reis e sua trajetória na imprensa (1860 – 1911)

Abstract

This research sought to trace the trajectory in the press of Maria Firmina dos Reis (1822- 1917), a 19th century black poet and writer from Maranhão. This author gained notorious recognition in her society by collaborating with various periodicals in the province where she lived. The central question of this research was to understand how this woman managed to remain active in the press of the period. For this, we seek to think about the forms of action and strategies used by this Maranhão woman to insert herself and remain in this public space. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to enter the biographical sphere to understand who this woman was and then think about the specifics of Maria Firmina dos Reis' life that helped her stay in the literary universe. This research was based on the analysis of her trajectory in the press, keeping in mind that the author was a woman of letters who, despite not having survived from literary pen, used her as a working tool. In this way, the purpose of this text is to contribute to the elucidation of a field of work carried out by Maria Firmina dos Reis that still little studied by academic research.