This thesis proposes a study of the black militias in the city of Rio de Janeiro between 1763 and 1831. Established in Pernambuco during the Luso-Dutch wars in the 17th century, the so-called black militias—also known as "Henriques," in honor of their founder Henrique Dias—remained active for an extended period across different captaincies of Portuguese America (Bahia, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro), experiencing significant numerical growth throughout the 18th century. The recruitment of Africans and their descendants (slaves, freedmen, or free individuals) can be identified in various territories of the Portuguese overseas empire. We aim to investigate their institutionalization over time in Rio de Janeiro, the members of the officer corps (their life trajectories), and how these military bodies, composed of Africans and descendants, evolved in the 19th century into a key arena for struggles over institutional reconfigurations aimed at expanding access to higher officer ranks. Finally, we seek to understand how, in 1831, with the creation of the National Guard, the previously color-segregated military structure was abolished.