TrHE LITERARY PRODUCTION of Afro-Brazilians is currently on the upswing after having been extremely limited for more than a decade following the revolution of 1964. Indeed, a close examination of the country's literary output of the years 1964 through the first half of 1978 reveals but a handful of published literary works by Brazilians of recognizable African descent. On the other hand, the six-year period beginning at approximately the middle of 1978 has witnessed an extraordinary increase in the productivity of such writers. During this relatively short span of time Brazilian writers of African descent have produced over forty works, primarily volumes of poetry and collections of short stories. In spite of the existence of numerous bookshops, particularly in the country's large metropolitan areas, and despite the presence of one of the fastest growing publishing industries in the third world, with the exception of a handful of books generally works by an older generation of recognized writers works by contemporary Afro-Brazilian authors are not only published independently but are in most circumstances unavailable at conventional bookshops. As a general rule, such books are purchased directly from the authors or their colleagues. In order to understand this recent surge in literary expression on the part of Afro-Brazilians as well as the post-revolution dearth of such expression one must examine the changing self-image of blacks in Brazilian society, the repressive policies of the post-1964 military regime, and the changing political climate resulting from the country's gradual return to democracy. A comprehension of the manner in which most current literary works by AfroBrazilians are marketed requires an investigation into the major obstacles that confront Brazilian writers in general, regardless of race, and certain problems faced by black authors in particular.