Academia Brasileira de Letras

Academia Brasileira de Letras, or Brazilian Academy of Letters is a Brazilian literary society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of writers inspired by the Académie française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on the 15th of December, 1896, but the statutes were only passed on the 28th of January, 1897 and on the 20th of July of the same year the Academy was established. The Brazilian Academy of Letters is, according to its statutes, the authority on the "national language" of Brazil. It is composed of 40 members, known as "immortals", chosen among citizens of Brazil who have published recognized works or books of literary value. The position of "immortal" is awarded for lifetime.

Gallery of the Immortals

• Machado de Assis
• Jorge Amado
• José Guilherme Merquior
• Tobias Barreto de Meneses