Many black Brazilians live in poverty which in the popular imagination created an association of being black as a synonym for being poor.

In spite of strong prejudice, many black Brazilians and "pardos" have been prominent in Brazilian society.

It is in popular music, however, that the talents of black Brazilians and "pardos" found the most fertile ground for their development.

Since the end of the military dictatorship, the political participation of black Brazilians and "pardos" has increased.

Brazil has the largest black population outside Africa, but black Brazilians have long complained of being kept at the bottom of the ladder.

Many black Brazilians vociferously supported Gradín despite the fact that he was from a rival country.

Yet, ironically, black Brazilians did not participate in these Carnival parades or in the blocos.

Today, with the help of the jet airplane, black Brazilians and Beninois are rediscovering each other.

That's because a well-dressed black woman simply isn't within the standard model for black Brazilians, and they assume she has to be a foreigner.

In virtually every indicator of social status, black and mixed-race Brazilians compare poorly with whites.