Black Peoples in the Amazon: An Invisible History
Photo: sergio souza on Canva
This blog post is a translation and adaptation of the original article titled “A História Invisível dos Povos Pretos na Floresta” written by Juliane Sousa, Quilombola Journalist and Communications and Marketing Manager at Sistema B Brasil.
Defending the Amazon cannot be confined to environmental issues or to the purview of a single social group. In each rural, urban, riverine, Black, and Quilombola community, there are living memories that may forgive but do not forget the dark days of enslavement.
When we think of the Amazon, the images that typically come to mind are of Indigenous Peoples in lush, exotic forests. While these images are accurate, for many of us they represent the extent of our knowledge. According to 2022 census data, 51.25% of Indigenous Peoples live in what is known as the Legal Amazon (a region spanning nine Brazilian states: Amazonas, Acre, Amapá, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, and part of Maranhão), yet they are far from the only communities in this vast biome. The Legal Amazon is also home to other populations, including a sizeable segment of Quilombola communities. In fact, Black and Quilombola inhabitants together represent 79.3% of the region’s population.
These numbers should prompt serious reflection. Why has the resistance and resilience of Black and Quilombola communities in the Amazon remained so hidden? Why aren’t Black communities also recognized as “peoples of the forest”? And how do these questions intersect with structural racism? Addressing these questions is critical to understanding why Quilombola communities in the Amazon often don’t have a seat at the table for decisions directly impacting their homelands.
The Amazon is a rich mosaic of interwoven cultures and histories, home to many traditional communities that remain overlooked by society at large to this very day. Among them are Black and Quilombola communities, who have fought for centuries to survive and preserve their identities. Yet, whether in popular discourse, public policy, or official historiography, Black peoples in the Amazon have been systematically erased. And as the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.
Quilombola communities in the Amazon have a vibrant history that is inextricably linked to the formation of the region in general. Still, the dominant narrative often centers solely on Indigenous Peoples, which erases the contributions of other groups—riverine peoples, artisanal fishers, rubber tappers (seringueiros), and Quilombola communities—who have built their lives and traditions in the bosom of the forest.
Migratory flows played a significant role in the history of the Amazon. Formerly enslaved Black peoples found refuge in the forest, thus giving rise to Quilombola communities in many parts of the Amazon. Through resilience and adaptation to their new environment, they didn’t merely survive; they flourished. They created new forms of social, cultural, and economic organization deeply rooted in African heritage.
The truth of the matter is that the erasure of Quilombola communities in the Amazon is not happenstance. It’s part of a politics of denial vis-à-vis the diversity of identities in the region. While Indigenous Peoples continue to face harmful stereotypes, they enjoy higher visibility than Quilombola communities. Limited visibility of Black histories in the Amazon stifles access to essential resources and rights for survival.
The lack of research and data specifically aimed at these communities further stifles the development of effective public policies to level the playing field. After all, these communities face the same threats as other traditional communities in the Amazon: aggressive land grabs, rampant deforestation, expanding agribusiness, and limited government protection.
Defending the Amazon cannot be confined to environmental issues or to the purview of a single social group. In each rural, urban, riverine, Black, and Quilombola community, there are living memories that may forgive but do not forget the dark days of enslavement. These memories, expressed through traditional agriculture, fishing, and sustainable forest management, are the genuine cultural and environmental heritage of the Amazon.
Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their lands, culture, and history must run parallel with protecting the rights of other traditional peoples. Recognizing and including these communities in our understanding of the Amazon is crucial to building a more regenerative, inclusive, and sustainable future for the region.
