The Role of African Rice and Slaves in the History of Rice Cultivation in the Americas

This paper presents the botanical and historical evidence for the role of African rice (O. glaberrima) and slaves in the crop's introduction to the Americas during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By focusing on culture, technology, and the environment the research challenges the perspective of the Columbian Exchange that emphasizes the diffusion of crops to, rather than from Africa, by Europeans. The evidence presented in this paper suggests a crucial role for glaberrima rice and slaves in the introduction of African crops to the Americas.