The school's history is crowned by splendid sambas, true classics of the samba-enredo such as Aquarela Brasileira ("Brazilian Aquarelle") (1964 and 2004), Exaltação a Tiradentes ("Exaltation to Tiradentes") (1949), Os Cinco Bailes da História do Rio ("The Five Balls of the History of Rio") (1965), Heróis da Liberdade ("Liberty Heroes") (1969), Bumbum paticumbum Prugurundum (1982), among others.
In 1982, the singer Clara Nunes recorded the samba Serrinha, in homage to Mauro Duarte and Paulo César Pinheiro.
The samba narrated the story of the Resistance, nickname of the Syndicate of the Stevedores of Rio de Janeiro, with which many of the school's members were connected.
In 2004, the Império repeated the samba-enredo Aquarela do Brasil, considered one of the most beautiful sambas-enredo in history, and despite financial problems and internal disputes, received a Sambadrome standing ovation.
In 2007, the school fell again to the Grupo de Acesso, but won the title in 2017, resulting in a 2018 return to the Special Group.