Francisco de Sales Torres Homem, Viscount of Inhomirim

Francisco de Sales Torres Homem, Viscount of Inhomirim (January 29, 1812 – June 3, 1876), was a physician, lawyer, journalist, romantic writer, deputy, senator, top officer of the National Treasury, president of the Bank of Brazil and Minister of Treasury. The only afrobrazilian ever to have been in charge of the economy of Brazil throughout its history.

Francisco de Sales Torres Homem was born on January 29, 1812 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His father, Apolinário Torres Homem, was a shady businessman, married to María Patrícia, a mulatto traveling market salesman, nicknamed You kill me.

After finishing his career in medicine at the Medical-Surgical Academy at Rio de Janeiro in 1832, he became enrolled by Evaristo Ferreira da Veiga at the Society for the Defense of Freedom and National Independence, a political group related to the moderate liberal party, and asked to write political articles for some journals. At first he was unwilling to perform these duties, according to him because he lacked knowledge and interest on politics; however, Ferreira da Veiga made him change his mind after praising his first article written for the journal Aurora Fluminense. He later traveled to Paris to study law, with a focus on political economy.

He maintained a close friendship since childhood with Gonçalves de Magalhães, who made him get into the Historical Institute of Paris to write a dissertation in 1834 along with poet Manuel de Araújo Porto-alegre on the state of sciences in Brazil entitled Resumo da História da Literatura, das Ciências e das Artes no Brasil por três brasileiros, membros do Instituto Histórico (Brief Resume on the History of Literature, Sciences and Arts in Brazil by three Brazilians, members of the Historical Institute). In 1836, along with Gonçalves de Magalhães, Araújo Porto-alegre and João Manuel Pereira da Silva, he creates Niterói, a journal considered the initial landmark of the literary romantic movement of Brazil.

In 1837 he returned to Brazil. He wrote for the Journal of Political and Literary Debates (Jornal dos Debates Políticos e Literários) from 1837 to 1838; his peers from France also collaborated in this journal. Jornal dos Debates was a journal which reflected the liberal thought opposed to regent Diogo Feijó's government, having a considerable influence of its writing on the people. Torres Homem went later on to write for other journals: Despertador (1838–1841) and Maiorista (1838–1841).

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