The Brazilian Parliament passes a law that frees all children thereafter born to slaves, and all government-owned slaves.

The Rio Branco law, also known as the Law of Free Birth, named after its champion, prime minister José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco, was passed by the General Assembly of the Empire of Brazil on 28 September 1871. It was intended to grant freedom to all newborn children of slaves, and slaves of…