1560–1851: Pernambuco in northeast Brazil was the first region in the Americas to develop a massive sugar plantation economy, eventually receiving over 700,0…

1560–1851: Pernambuco in northeast Brazil was the first region in the Americas to develop a massive sugar plantation economy, eventually receiving over 700,000 enslaved Africans. The trade was almost entirely managed by Portuguese and Brazilian vessels, with West Central Africa providing the vast majority of the labor force. Unlike other regions, the Pernambuco traffic remained remarkably consistent in its African origins for nearly three centuries. The regional capital of Recife served as the primary entry point and a major center for the organization of slaving voyages. This long-standing commercial link created a deep and enduring cultural connection between northeast Brazil and the West Central African coast.