ABSTRACT This manuscript analyzes the development of African studies in Brazil in the context of the implementation of Law 10.639/03, enacted in January 2003, which constituted an important step for teaching about Africa and the African diaspora in schools. We will present information that helps to understand key characteristics of Brazilian society, using data provided by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, with a focus on the functioning of the Brazilian educational system. In this context, it is important to highlight the role of public measures implemented in the 2000s that facilitated a more democratic education and addressed racial and social inequalities. Central to this agenda is the understanding of the implementation of Law 10.639/03, which mandated the teaching of African history and Afro-Brazilian peoples’ history throughout the country’s basic education system. The impact of this law was extensive and also affected higher education, which had to adapt to train professionals capable of implementing this mandate. However, as we argue, it is not possible to understand Law 10.639/03 in isolation; it must be studied in conjunction with other public policies, considering the Brazilian educational system and the societal interest in learning more about African history.