Baron of Guaraciaba: a black man in Empire Brazil - Slavery

Born in 1826, Francisco Paulo de Almeida was the son of a slave and had his name erased from history. What are the reasons for the silence surrounding the life of this man with no real assets, in a period and space considered restricted and slave-like, who began life as a goldsmith, was a muleteer, belonged to the coffee oligarchy and owned several farms in the Paraíba valley, owned the Yellow Palace in Petrópolis and lived in Catete. He rose to nobility with the title of Baron of Guaraciaba and was a friend of Princess Isabel? Questions such as: What power relations were established by and for blacks who managed to occupy posts, titles and positions seen as "proper" to whites? What were the implications of holding the title of baronet in 19th century Brazil? What were the benefits and their implications? What were the specificities of being black and a baron in Brazil in the second half of the 19th century? What do these considerations reveal about that time, its customs and social relations? Finally, what did it mean for a black man to be part of this political and social high street?