And since the 1960s, samba schools have mounted carnival parades with research-backed themes that address Afro-Brazilian culture and history — samba enredos, as they are called in Portuguese.

In February, I spent a week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with friends for the Rio Carnival festival. Seeing the floats and performers, and places my Brazilian grandpa told me about, felt magical.

The Opening Ceremony had Morrison rocking a full afro that took people's breaths away. Shamier Little, Track & Field, USA As she helped the U.S. run the mixed 4x400 relay in world record time, Little ...