What is Watermelon stereotype?
[[File:1900sc Postcard-Watermelon 04.jpg|thumb|In the early 20th century, a number of [[postcard]]s were made to illustrate the watermelon stereotype; this is one of them.|379x379px]] The '''Watermelon stereotype''' is the [[stereotype|stereotypical]] view that [[black people]] can be made happy easily; they only need a [[watermelon]] and a little rest for their happiness.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/12/26/slavery-and-the-watermelon/ | title=Watermelon: Symbolizing the Supposed Simplicity of Slaves | accessdate=March 30, 2013 | author=Wade, Lisa}}</ref> The [[stereotype]] was perpetuated in [[minstrel show]]s often depicting African Americans as ignorant and workshy, given to song and dance and inordinately fond of watermelon.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R5W7pYEf0eAC&q=watermelon+stereotype&pg=PA26 |title=Fences: Shmoop Literature Guide |year=2010 |page=26 |isbn=978-1-61062-419-0 |archive-date=2014-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019230534/https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=R5W7pYEf0eAC&pg=PA26&dq=RACIST&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9IpWUdDFHsPnrAenyoDoBg&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAw |url-status=dead }}</ref> This stereotype is common in the [[United States]], and probably goes back to the times of [[slavery]]: The people who were in favour of slavery wanted to show that black people were simple-minded and only needed few things for their happiness. == References == {{reflist}} {{stub}} [[Category:African-American history]] [[Category:Psychology]] [[Category:Racism]]