Sao Jose dos Campos (Portuguese for Saint Joseph of the Fields) is a municipality and a major city in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America.

It is located in the Vale do Paraiba (Paraiba Valley), between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, Sao Paulo (80 km from the city) and Rio de Janeiro (320 km).

According to a 1999 UN study, Sao Jose dos Campos was rated one of the top 25 Brazilian cities for quality of life. With its high per capita income, long life expectancy and high level of infrastructure, Sao Jose dos Campos is a safe and secure city that offers a wide variety of stores and services. A native of Sao Jose dos Campos is called joséense.

History:

The origins of Sao Jose dos Campos lie at the end of the 16th Century when Jesuits founded a cattle farm, Aldeia do Rio Comprido. The farm was created through a concession of settlements around 1590 to the Society of Jesus. The farm was located on the banks of the Rio Comprido, natural division between Sao Jose and the city of Jacareí today.

The farm status was an artifice to hide a religious outpost, one of the several Jesuit Reductions in Brazil, known for their resistance to enslavement, from the Portuguese expedition leaders and indigeneous people hunters, known as the Bandeirantes.

On September 10, 1611, the local was officially recognized and the farmers precluded from utilizing the Natives as slaves. However, a turmeric conflict between farmers and the religious led to the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1640 from the region and the consequent dispersion of the mission.

Oon July 27, 1767, Sao Jose reached the official status of town, with a hall and a pillory, passing over the status of civil parish; and the name Vila de Sao Jose do Paraiba was formalized. But for many years it maintained the same rural characteristics. The main difficulty was the fact that the Estrada Real (Royal Road) passed by its limits, far from the village.

Heritage and culture:

In 1985, the municipality established the Cassiano Ricardo Cultural Foundation, named after the Brazilian poet. It aims to promote and sponsor cultural activities and events, spreading and extending knowledge among the population.

Furthermore, the public foundation stimulates creation and emerging of new artists in different sectors. The foundation was also charged with the preservation and expansion of the Municipal Public Archives and to provide support to the Municipal Historic Preservation Council (COMPHAC). Several cultural centers are maintained by the foundation including Cine Santana , Centro Cultural Clemente Gomes, Espaço Cultural Chico Triste, Helena Calil Arts Center and Espaço Cultural Mário Covas The Sao Jose dos Campos Symphony Orchestra, fomented by Cassiano Ricardo Cultural Foundation, is an already respected orchestra in the country. The city also houses important choirs (such as Libercanto, Vocalis, Vozes and ITA), with popular and eclectic performances.

Sao Jose is an important center for dance. It is the headquarters for several dance schools (Cristina Cara, Ana Araujo, Rosilene Sanchez, Damares Antelmo), that already have taken part in several international contests. Jazz, step dance, ballet, techno, aerobic, among other dance forms, are presented to the public in December every year at municipal competitions. The Cassiano Ricardo Foundation is also starting a dance company.

Popular parties are also important events. Perhaps the most distinguished is the so called Festa Junina (Saint John's Festival). It is mainly celebrated on key days following the Catholic feast days of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter. It happens at different churches, schools and parks in June.

The Sports Museum was opened on July 30, 1999. In exhibition are trophies, medals, photos and newspapers about the history of sports of Sao Jose dos Campos since 1910.

City Anniversary Run - a 12 kilometer run taking place on the streets of the city center in the morning, with hundreds of athletes from the city and from the Vale do Paraiba region on July 27.