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Is Watermelon A Racial Symbol?
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Watermelon season is almost over. It was once a symbol of pride for freed slaves, but it's since taken on all kinds of racial meanings. We talk about the fruit's history as a racist stereotype with Pat Turner, a professor of African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. She's also author of the book, "Ceramic Uncles and Celluloid Mammies: Black Images and Their Influence."
Examples of watermelons in the media being used as a racial stereotype:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2-4a_QXlE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB5AMQslyC0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sls5H4xVHys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjkAkJNBNM&feature=youtu.be&t=1m43s