Congrats to Dr. Barnes-Johnson and @drkforequity and Mr. Burr & all at PPS on Town Topics front-page story re kickoff day for the community-wide Paul Robeson tomato project. Whole Earth Center Princeton Public Library, NJ LiLLiPiES Jen Carson Small World Coffee towntopics.com/wordpress/2023…

From the seed packet illustrated above: 'Paul Robeson was a famous African-American opera singer, linguist, athlete, and civil rights champion who stood up to the infamous McCarthy committee in the 1950s. This Russian tomato was named in his honor...' hudsonvalleyseed.com/products/paul-…

Tomato 'is spectacular: richly colored, exquisitely flavored, a joy to savor & to share. The gardeners who selected this variety saw potential & nurtured it with same reverence that Black artists, activists, & gardeners use to build a bridge toward justice that spans generations'

On the vine
trueleafmarket.com/products/tomat…

🧵from the Town Topics story by Donald Gilpin: 'If you’re not familiar with the Robeson Tomato, you will be soon if Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson, PPS science supervisor and Paul Robeson House of Princeton board member, has anything to say about it.'

'Barnes-Johnson is leading The Paul Robeson House of Princeton Robeson Freedom Garden Campaign...'which will distribute tomato seeds to students in schools and families in our community and to anyone who requests them,' said Barnes-Johnson.' (time & distribution TBA)

'Barnes-Johnson launched the project at Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at PMS, and she plans other Robeson Tomato events throughout the year. Robeson Freedom Gardeners will gather in September 2023 to celebrate Robeson Tomato gardens planted during the year.'

' 'We invite every citizen of the planet to join in this campaign of dignity & freedom that celebrates community & collective action toward reaching the goal of making Robeson a household name,' states the Robeson Freedom Garden Campaign flyer. Wellness in the Schools FoodTank NOFA-NJ

' 'We hope to have a cultural impact, an historical reference point, and also to bring together various organizations and entities from different communities,' said Barnes-Johnson.' Edible Jersey Sam Sifton Joe Yonan The Star-Ledger Civil Eats The CIA Food52 Bon Appétit

'Barnes-Johnson noted that Robeson spoke and sang in multiple languages. “He is an icon of American global thinking, a new idealism as he described it, a way of humanizing every person everywhere.' #helpinghealinghope

'Though Robeson wouldn’t have known about the tomato named after him, Barnes-Johnson emphasized the appropriateness of the connection. 'The most human thing we do regardless of any other identity is to eat and to eat together. That fellowship around food is beautiful'.” The On Being Project