Rio Branco Law
The Rio Branco law (Portuguese: Lei Rio Branco), also known as the Law of Free Birth (Lei do Ventre Livre), 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 the state or crown.