CULTURAL TIPS | Watermelons As a Symbol of Racism

Hi . How are you!. Welcome to “The Satirical Scroll”, from the Canary Islands to the world.

This is our  Cultural Tips section—where we dive into the do's and don'ts of cross-cultural interaction to help you navigate the world with confidence and respect.

Today, I am talking about something simple—but powerful: how a fruit became the symbol of racism.

When American slaves were emancipated during the Civil War in the 1860s, freed Black people ate and sold watermelons, making the fruit a symbol of their freedom. Pro-slavery advocates used it to stereotypically portray African Americans as simple-minded and happy when offered a watermelon and a bit of rest. The slaves' enjoyment of watermelon was also seen by white Southerners as a sign of supposed benevolence. Watermelon has now been viewed as an important symbol in the iconography of racism in the United States.

And I conclude this today's episode, see you in the next one! 

If you have any comments or suggestions for future episodes, feel free to drop me a comment.

Patricia López Muñoz

Higher Technician in Sociocultural Dynamisation

Specialist in Immigration

Higher Technician in Social Integration