''Making Samba: A New History of Race and Music in Brazil'' is a book by Marc A. Hertzman published by

Duke University Press Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 ...

in 2013. Hertzman's concern with the historical narrative surrounding how

Samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

became one of Brazil's most valuable cultural staples prompted him to write this book. By tracing the careers of Donga and

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Brazil), Minister of ...

from the late nineteenth century to the 1970s, Hertzman explores various themes such as intellectual property claims, popular music, race, gender, national identity, and the history of Afro-Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro, and how they all contribute to the making of Samba within the Brazilian State.

Synopsis

Hertzman's main argument in this book is that the historical narrative surrounding the emergence of samba in Brazil has either been over-criticized, or exceedingly fetishized. By using wide-ranging evidence, such as Brazilian musicians' salary contracts, their involvement and activism with various musical associations, and their encounters with law enforcement, Hertzman explores their struggles in exerting their agency by claiming their music as what he calls, "intellectual property." While Hertzman's book explores different themes such as "musical blackface" and "the purity of samba," Hertzman discusses them within the context of

Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians (; ), also known as Black Brazilians (), are Brazilians of total or predominantly Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Most multiracial Brazilians also have a range of degree of African ancestry. Brazilians whose African features are mo ...

figures that were heavily involved with the progress of Samba so that his argument doesn't get off track.

Critical reception

''Making Samba: A New History of Race and Music in Brazil'' has been highly praised by a variety of historical scholars. Three critical reviews come from Charles A. Perrone in the Luso-Brazilian Review 51 (2014): 209–213. Marshall Eakin in ''

Social History Social history, often called history from below, is a field of history that looks at the lived experience of the past. Historians who write social history are called social historians. Social history came to prominence in the 1960s, spreading f ...

'' 39 (2014): 287–289. As well as Paulina Alberto in ''Americas'' 73 (2016): 266–268. All of these scholars agree that Hertzman's work has been a big success in his field and that it "offers a substantial, indeed superb, contribution to the already robust literature about the birth of samba in the aftermath of slavery in Brazil and its rise to the status of national rhythm by the early twentieth century." Perrone adds, "Even seasoned veterans of this subject will find some edifying surprises."

Awards

The

Latin American Studies Association The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) is the largest association for scholars of Latin American studies. Founded in 1966, it has over 12,000 members, 45 percent of whom reside outside the United States (36 percent in Latin America and the ...

awarded ''Making Samba'' Honorable Mention for the 2014 Bryce Wood Book Award. * Conrad Humanities Scholar (2017–2022) * New England Council of Latin American Studies Best Dissertation Prize (2009) * Fulbright-Hays (2004)

References

Music of Brazil Duke University Press books 2013 non-fiction books {{Brazil-hist-book-stub