Tomato, Paul Robeson

New for 2012 75 days. Indet. Gorgeous color of deep red blended with chocolate-black that is rightly associated with delicious flavor. This class of tomato (which includes Sarah Black, Mavritanskite, Black Krim, Black Prince, Sokolades and many others) is typically so rich, sweet and almost smoky that one would be justified in giving up all other tomatoes. We won't go that far, but it is very nice to have tomatoes that get this tasty in our cool Pacific Northwest climate. Our black tomato of choice for market farm production, because it rarely cracks, is blemish free, and is high yielding in less than optimal conditions. Originating in Russia and named in honor of the great social activist, opera singer, star athlete, and actor Paul Robeson. Among his many accomplishments he was the first black actor to play Othello in the US. Arguably one of the most important and forgotten figures of the mid-1900s and early civil rights movement. He was a political activist who was inspired by the egalitarian anti-racism ethics of Marxism and had strong communist sympathies. This resulted in his blacklisting from American establishment culture and in 1950 his passport was revoked due to his work with the anti-imperialism movement. Hopefully this tomato will help re-popularize his story.