The entry explores the life and works of Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator whose innovative approach to adult literacy and critical pedagogy transformed educational theory in Brazil and beyond. Freire’s early life, educational background, and significant contributions are depicted, including his development of a participatory and dialogical teaching method for adult education that emphasized empowerment, consciousness of the social situation in which human beings live and strive to “be more” and to “say their own words,” and their relevance for the fields of psychology and social psychology. Freire’s original theory of the development of critical consciousness, his analysis of human feelings in situations of oppression and his proposals of education for liberation are highlighted. Despite setbacks such as exile following a military coup, Freire continued to advocate for the democratization of education, authoring the internationally renowned “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” The text draws attention to his enduring legacy as a key figure in twentieth-century educational thought and his recognition as the Patron of Brazilian education.