Brazil’s Nov. 20 Black Consciousness Day Is a National Holiday Under 2023 Law

Overview

• The holiday falls on a Thursday in 2025 and applies nationwide, confirming a full legal day of rest across Brazil.
• Law No. 14.759/2023 created the national holiday, first observed in 2024, after years of regional observance in six states and about 1,200 municipalities.
• Workers in essential services may be required to work, and collective agreements can mandate staffing, with either double pay or compensatory time guaranteed by law.
• Employers decide whether to offer a Friday “bridge” day after the Thursday holiday, and any granted time off can be scheduled for later compensation.
• The date honors Zumbi dos Palmares and the resistance of the Quilombo dos Palmares, often estimated at around 20,000 inhabitants, with sources differing on Zumbi’s death year (1694 or 1695).