Exploring the lasting cultural, ecological, and historical impact of its native plants and crops
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Drawing on materials from the Jay I. Kislak Collection of the Early Americas, Exploration and Navigation, “Roots of the Americas” explores the enduring significance of crops native to the Americas, including corn, tobacco, cacao, and a variety of medicinal flora. The exhibition highlights the deep relationships Indigenous communities developed with these crops and the ways botanical knowledge and agricultural practices shaped societies across the hemisphere long before the arrival of Europeans. These plants held spiritual, cultural, and economic meaning, and they played a central role in sustaining community life.
“Roots of the Americas” also examines the profound changes that followed European contact. As these crops entered global markets and imperial systems, they reshaped local economies, altered landscapes, and influenced daily life throughout the Americas. Their histories continue to define contemporary foodways, economies, and cultural identities, revealing how the legacies of colonialism remain present today.