Little Africa, located in the Port Zone of Rio de Janeiro, is a historical area that reflects the strong influence of African culture and the mark left by slavery on the city's formation. The area is marked by important landmarks such as Valongo Wharf, Pedra do Sal and the New Blacks' Cemetery, which were fundamental to the arrival and stay of enslaved Africans and the development of the cultural manifestations that emerged from this historical experience.
The Valongo Wharf, inaugurated in 1811, was the main disembarkation point for enslaved Africans in Rio de Janeiro, receiving thousands of men, women and children who arrived in Brazil through the slave trade. It is estimated that millions of Africans passed through before being sold or sent to work on farms and in the cities. Cais do Valongo is considered a historical landmark and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011 in recognition of its importance in the history of the African diaspora.
Pedra do Sal is another important symbol of Little Africa. Located near Valongo Quay, Pedra do Sal was a meeting place for dockworkers, many of whom were black and of African descent. It also played a central role in preserving African cultural traditions, becoming one of the cradles of Rio's samba. To this day, Pedra do Sal is a space of cultural resistance, with samba circles and traditional celebrations that keep alive the memory of Rio de Janeiro's African heritage.
The Cemetery of the New Blacks is another important point in the history of Little Africa. Discovered in the 1990s, this cemetery was used to bury Africans who had recently arrived in Brazil, known as 'new blacks', who had died as a result of the inhumane conditions of the slave trade and slavery. Today, the cemetery is an important place of remembrance and reflection on the horrors of slavery and the exploitation of Africans.
Rio de Janeiro's African heritage is alive and well in many aspects of the city's cultural life. As well as music, with samba and carnival, and cuisine, with typical dishes such as feijoada, it also manifests itself in religiosity, with candomblé and umbanda, and in the popular manifestations that have emerged from this encounter between African and Brazilian culture. The preservation of Little Africa, with its historical and symbolic sites, is fundamental to the memory of the resistance and contribution of the black population to the cultural and social formation of the city and the country.