Yankees, Rebels, and Samba: The Curious Tale of Confederates Finding a New Tune Down in Brazil8/9/2023
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Once upon a time, in a corner of Brazil's São Paulo state, there lies a place called Americana. Now, don't let the name fool you. It's not some sleepy American town transplanted to South America. Oh no, this is a tale that spins like a cotton gin, a yarn spun by the winds of history and the hands of determined folks who found themselves a new home in a land far away.
You see, after that tumultuous bout between the North and the South they called the American Civil War, there were some folks down there in the Confederate States who weren't too keen on the way things turned out. With slavery abolished and the echoes of battle still ringing in their ears, they cast their eyes across the ocean to Brazil, where slavery was still alive and well. The Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil, a southern sympathizer himself, opened his arms and offered these Confederates a warm embrace. Free transport, cheap land, and an easy path to citizenship, he said. Now, some folks might've scratched their heads and wondered, "Why would they leave their homeland for a foreign shore?" But you see, my friend, these weren't just any folks. These were the kind who'd take their grits and gravy with a side of adventure. First to plant his flag in this newfound haven was a fellow by the name of Colonel William Hutchinson Norris, a lawyer and ex-state senator from Alabama. He was the sort who could spin a yarn as good as any Mark Twain, and he saw potential in these Brazilian lands. He was to scout the place, check it out, give it a thumbs up or down. Well, he gave it a thumbs-up as hearty as a Southern barbecue. And soon, others from the Confederate ranks followed suit. They brought with them not just their dreams, but a bit of their culture too. The land saw the rise of "Georgia's rattlesnake," a kind of watermelon that surely tasted like sweet victory. And as if that weren't enough, between 8,000 and 20,000 former Confederates decided this was the land of their dreams, where slaves were a bargain, and a new chapter of their lives began to unfurl. In 1875, the wheels of progress kept on turning, as the Companhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro expanded its railway to the city of Rio Claro. The railway station they built? Why, they called it the "Santa Bárbara station." And that's when things got even more interesting. The village around the station was no longer just a spot on the map. It became known as "Villa dos Americanos," the Town of the Americans. A name that would stick and turn into "Villa Americana" as the years rolled by. They even have their own song, you know. A song that sings of wheelbarrows, watermelons, cotton, and plows brought by those brave souls who crossed oceans to call Americana their home. And each year, they gather for a Confederate festival, where the Confederate flag waves proudly and men dress up as Confederate soldiers. So, there you have it, a slice of history as sweet as a Georgia peach. A tale of determination, adventure, and a whole lot of watermelon. It just goes to show, when folks set their sights on new horizons, even the farthest shores can feel like home. Comments are closed.
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AuthorThe Birmingham Free Press was established in 1997 as an independent news and entertainment source. We publish a variety of books, magazines, and comics, along with our flagship, broadsheet newspaper. Archives
August 2023
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