Ynaê Lopes dos Santos is a historian, professor of History of the Americas, and writer. She is a professor at the Federal Fluminense University (UFF) and holds a bachelor’s degree, as well as a master’s and PhD in History from the University of São Paulo (USP).Her research focuses on the history of slavery in the Americas, ethnic-racial relations across the continent, and the teaching of African history and Black history in Brazil. She has published extensively in these fields, contributing significantly to both academic scholarship and public debate.


In recent years, Ynaê has been actively engaged in public history, working to connect academic research with broader audiences. In this capacity, she has served as a consultant for the Projeto Querino, curator of the permanent exhibition at the Valongo Wharf (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and curator of the exhibition Pequenas Áfricas: O Rio que o samba criou at the Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS).

Ynaê is also a columnist for DW Brasil and serves as coordinator of the Afro-Americas Working Group of ANPUH (the Brazilian Historical Association). Her academic achievements include being a Jovem Cientista do Nosso Estado fellow (FAPERJ) and a Productivity Fellow of CNPq. Among her major publications are: Além da Senzala. Arranjos escravos de moradia no Rio de Janeiro 1808-1850 - HUCITEC, 2010/ História da África e do Brasil Afrodescendente - PALLAS, 2017/ Juliano Moreira: o médico negro na fundação da psiquiatria brasileira, EDUFF, 2020/ Racismo Brasileiro. Uma história da formação do país. TODAVIA, 2022/ Irmãs do Atlântico. Escravidão e espaço urbano no Rio de Janeiro e Havana (1763-1843). CIVILIZAÇÃO BRASILEIRA, 2025.

Ynaê’s work bridges rigorous academic research and public engagement, positioning her as a leading voice in contemporary debates on race, history, and memory in Brazil and the Americas.