Landscape legacies of the African diaspora in Brazil

Geographers have been reticent on the role of the African diaspora in the contouring of Brazil's biological and cultural landscapes. Whereas paradigm shifts have occurred in regards to environmental stability in the tropical realm and the pristine nature of pre-Columbian landscapes, these have not translated to a rigorous reassessment of the geographical position of Africans and their descendants as active agents in landscape evolution. In this article, we briefly examine the historical development of black diaspora scholarship outside of geography. We review the contributions of geographers and others to understanding the floristic homogenization of the Atlantic world set in motion by European exploration and colonization. Finally, by highlighting recent findings on the dynamic role of forced African immigrants in the process of landscape transformation, we hope to stimulate further geographical inquiry, improve pedagogical materials and advance in a modest way a recovery of the African contribution to the making of the Americas.