Rodrigues, José Honório (1913–1987)

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Rodrigues, José Honório (1913–1987)

José Honório Rodrigues (b. 20 September 1913; d. 6 April 1987), Brazilian historian. Soon after graduating from the National Law School in his native city of Rio de Janeiro in 1937, José Honório Rodrigues embarked on his chosen career as a historian. His first major work, Civilização holandesa no Brasil (Dutch Civilization in Brazil) was written in collaboration with Joaquím Ribeiro and appeared in 1940, before Rodrigues had received any academic training in historical methodology. A fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation enabled him to study historical theory and methods at Columbia University in 1943–1944 and put him in touch with the main currents of world historiography. Returning to Brazil, he promoted the use of advanced techniques in the researching and writing of Brazilian history, urged the creation of graduate programs in history at Brazilian universities, campaigned for the opening of government archives to scholars and for the publication of important source material, and developed his own visão (perception) of Brazilian history.

As curator of rare books at the Brazilian National Library (1946–1958) and director of the National Archives (1958–1964), Rodrigues made these institutions more responsive to the needs of professional historians. Removed from his directorship as a result of the military coup of 1964, he had more time for writing and lecturing at Brazilian and foreign universities. For Rodrigues, a committed liberal and acute observer of the contemporary scene, writing history was more important than political activism. In his landmark Independência: revolução e contrarevolução (5 vols., 1975–1976), he argues that a traditionalist elite has consistently thwarted liberal movements in Brazil and crushed the aspirations of the Brazilian people. In historiographical works like História da história do Brasil (4 vols., 1979–1988), Rodrigues exposes the biases of conservative historians who, he charges, have served the ruling class and perpetuated its myths of "nonviolence" and "conciliation." Rodrigues's works translated into English include Brazil and Africa (1965) and The Brazilians: Their Character and Aspirations (1967).

See alsoBrazil: Since 1889 .