This lecture examines the history and lasting contributions of Afro-descendant communities in the Amazon region. Learn how enslaved Africans were brought to the Americas as part of the Columbian Exchange, and how the plants, domesticated animals, and agricultural expertise they brought with them significantly impacted the crops, economies, and cultures of the New World. For example, it was the African knowledge of tropical crops, not European ingenuity, that helped establish plantation crops such as rice and sugarcane in the region. At the same time, the botanical knowledge brought by Afro-descendant peoples has helped conserve tropical forests across the Americas, making them key actors in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss in both the Amazon and beyond.

Lecture source language: Spanish

Available subtitles & translations: English and Portuguese