Get your Ripe, Juicy Watermelon Here!

I remember the watermelon man driving slowly through my small North Carolina town shouting, "Watermelon! Get your watermelon heah!" Folks would come out of their homes and buy them straight off the pick up truck including my grandfather. I remember he would buy a watermelon, put it in the cooler, and we would slice that baby open when the time was right. Yes, we would have ourselves a cool, sweet ol’ time. There is nothing like sweet, cold watermelon in the summertime. I know, black folks just love watermelon, right. Well, wait a minute because white folks love it too as well as Asians and Latinos -- everyone loves watermelon! Well, maybe not everyone but you understand.

The love for this famous melon dates back 5,000 years when Africans grew it along the Nile Valley (Today known as Egypt and the Middle East). African explorer, David Livingston (1813-1873), describe It as being abundant in the Kalahari desert where it was thought to have originated; there, it grows wild. In America, it arrived via the slave trade. Thomas Jefferson grew it and boasted of its sweetness as compared to his French counterparts. Confederate soldiers use to boil it down as a source of sugar and molasses.

In Africa, where it still grows, many tribes have used it for centuries as a source of water during times of drought. Enslaved Africans in America naturally loved its taste because many of them had it as a source of food in their homeland. Today, many of us get excited when we are in a foreign place and we see food familiar to us. I can imagine the Africans in America getting all excited when they were able to eat their native melon.

This, of course, made it easy for others to create negative stereotypes associated with that love for their native melon. Well, that is all I have to say about the native African vine (scientifically known as Citrullus lanatus). Go to your local market and grab yourselves a tasty watermelon or some other fresh fruit.

Note: Now, researchers have found that watermelon has a viagra like ingredient called Citrulline that increases sex drive. Well, like I said...

Get your ripe, juicy watermelon here!

Sources: darwin.nmsu.edu, capecodphotoalbum.com, yahoo news

Watermelon photo: Scotland Neck, N.C., Stephen Bess

Artist Spotlight: Cedric Smith

Artist spotlight is becoming my thing to do here at Morphological Confetti. I sometime stumble upon great artist and I just want to share them with the rest of the world – the MC audience.

Recently, I did an image search pertaining to African American history when I came across a wonderful piece of artwork created by painter and photographer, Cedric Smith. My first reaction to his work was that of extreme admiration; I was impressed. Smith’s beautiful and colorful images resembled old ads from the early part of the 20th Century. Smith says that his inspiration and influences are drawn from the Georgia landscape and its people. Smith’s memories growing up and nostalgia also play a significant role in his work.

As many of you know, the ads in America’s early years were often racist in its portrayal of Africans in America. Cedric wanted to change this negative perception. The difference in Cedric Smith’s work is that the images are positive and appealing; for instance, there are no oversized pink lips with boot black skin, shiny-white-bugged eyes and a toothy grin. The subjects are all just pleasant looking people (old photographs) of African descent representing familiar and not so familiar products. Some of subjects are also caucasian to truly reflect the old southern landscape. The southern landscape is also used as a backdrop for old photographs that he positions within his own photography (see below).

Artist Bio:

Cedric Lamar Smith was born in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pa., but raised in Thomaston, Ga., where his family moved with him as a child. Smith grew up and took up barbering as a profession and means to support himself. Cedric’s entire perception of art and living changed one day when the late African American painter, William Tolliver sat in his barber’s chair. Cedric overheard a conversation Tolliver was having on his cell phone about a studio. Cedric thought that Tolliver was a musician until he began to ask questions about Tolliver’s work. He soon found out that William Tolliver was a successful painter. Well, that brief conversation with Tolliver led Smith to turn in his two week notice at the barbershop.

The rest, shall we say, was Smith-story. Cedric Smith took that step of faith almost 13 years ago and has never looked back. Now, Cedric Smith makes his living as a painter and photographer. His artwork can be seen in galleries and homes throughout Georgia and the United States. Cedric Smith has the heart of a true historical preservationist and artist. He is truly an inspiration to anyone who has ever dreamed of doing what they love. God bless him.


Cedric Smith currently resides between Atlanta and Savannah, GA.

Sources: cedricsmith.com, aviscafineart.com

Black Music Month: The Commodores - Sail On

As some of you know, June is Black Music Month. So, in honor of this month I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to Mr. Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949). Lionel Richie definitely represents the soundtrack of my early years growing up. God bless him and may he have many more. Enjoy this video and the weekend. Peace~

Denmark Vesey

Denmark Vesey (Telemanque) was born 1767 in West Africa. As a child, he was captured by slavers and transported to the Americas. Denmark spent his early years on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas. In 1781, a slaver named Captain Joseph Vesey of Charleston, SC., purchased the young Denmark. Denmark would remain a “model” domestic slave for 20 years. Fortunately, in 1800 Denmark won a $1,500 lottery prize and used the money to purchase his own freedom. After becoming a free man, Denmark worked as a carpenter and made an honest living in the city of Charleston. Although Denmark was now "free," he was still dissatisfied with the plight of his brothers and sisters still in bondage.

In 1816, Denmark co-founded a Charleston branch (Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church) the A.M.E. Church. Vesey would continue with church activities over the next few years. The year was now 1822 and Denmark Vesey made up his mind to mobilize the masses of freed and enslaved Africans for the sake of freedom. He was inspired by the revolution that had taken place in Haiti. Vesey’s rebellion was originally scheduled for July 14, 1822. He had gathered the support of 1900 men. His plan was to slay the masters, seize Charleston, S.C., and sail to newly independent black country of Haiti to escape retaliation.

This is all the information that two of Vesey's recruits needed to tell the authorities in Charleston about Vesey’s planned revolt. Vesey soon learned of the betrayal on June 16, 1822 and attempted to launch his rebellion, but authorities would seize him on June 18, 1822 before he could carry out this bloody mission. The authorities’ decision: 12 were pardoned and 37, including Denmark Vesey, were hanged. There are some who speculate that the entire Vesey plot was a hoax; Nevertheless, there had been many slave revolts in North America, South America, and the Caribbean since the beginning of the colonies. There would be more to follow:

Nat Turner, North Hampton County, Virginia --1831; Guyana, The Demerara Rebellions of 1795 and 1823; Jamaica's Baptist War, 1831-1832, led by the Baptist preacher, Samuel Sharpe; the Black Seminole Rebellion (Maroon and Slaves combined) 1835 and Joseph Cinque, Cuban Amistad ship in 1839.

Sources: africawithin.com, and siu.edu, and wikipedia.org

Obama, Clinton, and the Media

This is funny. You know, the media has a great time depicting Hillary Clinton as a blood thristy, raging, power hungry white woman. Even though I am a supporter of Barack Obama, I'm leery of how others are presented to me by the media whether it is favorable or not. This is especially true when it comes to politics. Yes, I was also leery of Obama in the beginning. He seemed too good to be true. Plus, I felt like many who thought that America would never, never, never place a person of African descent on a believable path to the White House. Now, I'm just anxious to see how all of this will pan out. Is America finally ready to start the healing? Are we ready to turn the pages of history and start a new and inclusive chapter? Perhaps.


Photo Source: news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/bensargent

Keeping cool with Cham Wae

It is so hot today in the DC metropolitan area. We have temperatures hovering in and around 95° up and down the Eastern seaboard. My wife went out to the market and brought home plenty of fruit and vegetables for us to eat as we chill. The above picture is a Korean melon called Cham Wae. Now, some of you may all ready know about this interesting looking fruit, but a brother like me had to look it up on the internet. Yes, this is how we learn. We try new things and if we like them, we induct them into our everyday lives. Cham Wae is good; I think I will include it on my grocery list. Well, be cool wherever you are and try something new today. Peace~

Today in African History

On June 2, 1999, South Africans went to the polls in their second post-apartheid election, giving the African National Congress a decisive victory. This also marked the retirement of President Nelson Mandela (Tata) and Thabo Mbeki takes office. Some describe this as the moment that the South African government became an independent government in the truest sense. On the other hand, some see South Africa's progress as a pyrrhic victory considering the violent crime sprees and recent xenophobic violence.

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica. Amen

Sources: informationman.com, phrases.org

Photo Source: cache.eb.com