This work proposes a reflection upon the context of the Against illiteracy Brazilian League`s foundation, observing, through the action strategies of its first administration (1915-1922), the intellectual goals involved on that project, engaged on the illiteracy combat all over the country. We also intent to analyze its place at the Education History, once the references about the Against illiteracy Brazilian League are rare. The mentioned place has been defined by the historiography through the criticisms elaborated by the Brazilian Education Association members whose speech denies previous experiences. This work detaches that preoccupations such as student`s frequency, the need of suitable constructions, teaching material and the civilized and civic patterns of the modern school, that moralized and civilized, could be found at the analyzed moment. The Campaign developed by the League has found support at several regions, above all through the actions of state and municipal Leagues. The analysis of these actions evidences that the Leagues worked in to ways: organizing illiteracy combat actions that stimulated the society engagement and mobilization pro instruction and, at the same time, call the State to act, demanding its intervention in questions like the basic education obligatoriness. We perceive that, between memories and forgetfulness, the Leagues created at the first decades of the XX century have much to reveal us about the social mobilization in this country, showing that Brazilian First Republic represents a strategic moment in Brazilian History.