Lourença Corrêa was a slave who lived in the city of Rio de Janeiro and who worked for sergeant-major Antônio de Figueira e Almeida, of whom she was also a concubine. Due to this connection, she was punished daily by her master's wife, Isabel, who, at the same time, insisted that her husband arrange a marriage of the enslaved woman to some black man in the house.

In 1739, Lourença married Pedro Benguela, a captive of the same sergeant. However, and by all appearances, she remained her master's lover, and thus did not free herself from the persecutions and punishments of his wife.

Not withstanding the pressure, Lourença fled to São João do Meriti (RJ), where she married an enslaved named Amaro. She was, however, accused of bigamy by the Holy Office, and arrested by the institution in 1745.

She defended herself with the inquisitor arguing that her first union had taken place merely by the will of her lord's wife, but she was unsuccessful and was sentenced to an exile in Angola, where she died.

Source:GOMES, Flávio dos Santos; SCHWARCZ, Lilia Moritz; LAURIANO, Jaime. Enciclopédia Negra: Biografias Afro-Brasileiras. Companhia das Letras, 2021.