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Our Patron

Our Patron

Senator Nelson Carneiro

We are proud to present the story of our patron: Nelson Carneiro. Born on April 8, 1910, in Bahia, Salvador. There began the story of the future journalist, lawyer, humanitarian jurist and politician. A man who promoted and acted for years focused on protecting citizenship, fighting for the rights of women and the family. He raised divergent agendas to what was considered absolute in his time, and for that reason, he built a legislative trajectory with issues that lasts time.
Below you can follow an interactive summary about the life of our patron, going through special and memorable moments of his personal and professional life. We are pleased to be able to share these milestones with you and use them as a reference for the Institute’s mission.

1910
April 8th
Nelson Souza Carneiro is born in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Son of Prof. Dr. Antônio Joaquim de Souza Carneiro and Mrs. Laura Coelho de Souza Carneiro, Nelson was one of eleven siblings.
1910
1929
August
He chose Law as his career, but was not limited to that. During his college years, the young student found in journalism yet another passion.Throughout his life, Law and Journalism have always intertwined. His political trajectory began while still in college, when he joined a political party for the first time.

“... When the delegation from Minas Gerais arrived (Fábio de Andrada, Bilac Pinto, Javert Souza Lima) preaching the Liberal Alliance. With them, I held the first rallies of my political career…”
1929
1929
the impartial
He joined the brazilian newspaper "O Imparcial", where he began his professional career in journalism.
1929
1932
Graduated in Law
Nelson became a Law graduate alongside his brother Franklin at Faculdade de Direito da Bahia.

"Others will overcome, without freedom, independence or concept, the preparatory stage of the public man and, at the end of their career, exhausted and defeated, they subordinated themselves to those who directed them or enslaved them, because of habit and moral weakness, to subservience and alienation of the right to think. Not you. You had everything as a student. Position. Popularity. Importance. It is necessary to maintain, in public life, its prestige. Don't be eclipsed by men, but by ideas." [translated quote] Excerpt from the letter written in the 8th of April 1932 - addressed to Nelson de Souza Carneiro by his father Antônio Joaquim de Souza Carneiro.
1932
1938
22nd of June
On this day he marries his first wife, Mrs. Juracy Gomes de Souza Carneiro.
1938
1947
17th of April
Inauguration in the Chamber of Deputies, by Gilberto Valente (in a dark suit) and Nelson, for Bahia. In the middle, in white, can be seen Deputies Aliomar Baleeiro (later Minister of the Supreme Court) and Luiz Vianna Filho (former governor of Bahia) and, at the top, in a dark suit, journalist Porto da Silveira do Newspaper of Brazil.
1947
1947
28th of May
Nelson, at the Chamber and Monsignor Arruda Câmara. From left to right: Aloísio de Castro, from Bahia; Toledo Pizza, from São Paulo; Prado Kelly and Leandro Maciel, from Sergipe and cut out of the frame, Teódulo Albuquerque.
1947
1947
Nelson, a few weeks after entering the Chamber, offered lunch to some parliamentarians. In addition to Nelson and Ivete Vargas, then a journalist, sitting Senator Aloysio de Carvalho, of Bahia.
1947
1950
1950s Political Campaign
“The Key to a New Social Era”. Winning campaign, with the approval of the single-time project for bank employees.
1950
1951
Carnival of 1951
Nelson, at the Iate Clube of Bahia.
1951
1951
"The start of the campaign for divorce, approximately in 1951, when I received the support of thousands of women, in writing, delivered by a commission in which participated two ladies shown in the photo (one of them over 80 years old).” Tiradentes Palace - Rio de Janeiro
1951
1952
July 7th
Nelson Carneiro withdraws his project n. 786/51 (Divorce Law).
1952
1952
Challenge published in "Suplemento da Modinha Popular."
1952
1952
Signing session for the book Divorce and Annulment of Marriage, by Nelson Carneiro.
1952
1953
Washington
Speaking on the Voice of America Program. Nelson Carneiro, Domingos Velasco and Hélio Cabral (sitting). Two radio employees standing.
1953
1953
Interparliamentary Union Conference - Washington.
From left to right: Senators Valter Franco and Mozart Lago, the President of the Conference; Nelson and Dr. Luiz Garcia, later governor of Sergipe.
1953
1960
September 6th
Nelson Carneiro, now a widower, marries Mrs. Maria Luíza Monteza Rothmund.
1960
1970
June 25th
With his family, months before taking the 1st term as a Senator, for the period of 1971 and 1979.
1970
1975
February 26th
Cover of Veja magazine.
1975
1977
June
Constitutional Amendment No. 9. Brasília.
1977
1977
June 16th
Congress approves divorce by 219 votes to 161.
1977
1978
January 31st
The official union of the first divorcee, Frigate Captain Mr. Nei Saldanha Nogueira da Gama and Mrs. Neide Mazorca, at Clube Naval, with the testimony of Nelson Carneiro.
1978
1978
June 29th
Nelson Carneiro receives the Anibal Freire Public Speaking Award, accompanied by Mr. Austregésilo de Athayde.
Brazilian Academy of Letters.
1978
1984
June 11th
Inauguration at the "Academia Brasiliense de Letras “I remember the joy with which I received your Excellency at the Academia Brasiliense de Letras. Your Excellency was the recipient, and I was the one who greeted you, as chosen by Your Excellency.” Jarbas Birdie
1984
1984
With Tancredo Neves, Saturnino and other parliamentarians. On the right, below, Amaral Peixoto.
1984
1984
“Jurists are not just those who, in books, professorships, courts or courtrooms, focus on high legal issues. They are also those who, like Your Excellency, in preparation of laws, put, in their opinions, speeches, votes and justifications, the law forming reality, providing the solution for future conflicts, foreseeing situations that will come over time.”

Greetings from Laercio Pelligrino, Instituto dos Advogados Brasileiros..
1984
1984
Nelson Carneiro, when the Oil Royalties Law was approved for municipalities in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Oil was a constant issue in the family, considering that Professor Souza Carneiro was the first to notify the discovery of oil in Brazil.
1984
1988
Nelson Carneiro and Ulysses Guimarães concluding the works of the National Constituent Assembly.
1988
1996
Nelson Carneiro died in the city of Niterói (RJ), aged 85 years.
1996
1998
June
The Senador Nelson Carneiro Institute was officially founded, in Rio de Janeiro, a non-profit organization created with the objective of promoting and preserving its work and functioning as a social organization that serves families and women.
1998
2018
As of 2018, Senator Nelson Carneiro entered the book "Heroes of the Homeland", being considered what he has always been, a hero.
2018