Send us a text
In this episode of Hidden Verdicts, we explore the bizarre 1893 Supreme Court case Nix v. Hedden, where a tomato’s identity was put on trial. Was it a fruit or a vegetable? The case went beyond tariffs to touch on the deeper issue of how labels define us. Join us as we dive into this legal battle and reflect on what it means to be recognized for who—or what—you truly are.
Support the show
Thank you for listening to Hidden Verdicts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who love uncovering the lesser known cases that shaped American Law. Don’t miss our next episode as we continue, revealing the hidden stories behind America’s most impactful legal decisions.
In the last couple of episodes, we have taken you through some pretty intense topics, the electric chair, and voluntary sterilization, heavy stories that stay with you long after the credits roll. So today, we are giving you a chance to catch your breath, something lighter, though still thought-provoking. What happens when the world insists you are one thing, but you know deep down that it is wrong. This is the question Tom, a tomato had to face. Yes, you heard right. This Supreme Court case is about a tomato named Tom. Tom looked like every other tomato, round, red, but when Tom stared into the mirror, what looked back at him was not a tomato. He knew deep down he was a fruit. He was not meant for ketchup or to swim in a soup bowl. No, Tom believed he belonged on a fruit plate among the apples, berries, and oranges, the ones celebrated for their sweetness, but the world saw things differently. To them, he was just another vegetable destined for a life that did not fit him. This is the story of Nick's versus Headin, a case that, on the surface, might seem like a simple food debate, but trust me, it is much more than that. And speaking of identity, today, as Kamala Harris stands on the world stage, possibly becoming the most powerful woman on the planet, even she faces questions about who she really is. Is she Black, Indian, both? The world still tries to fit her into a box. If someone like Kamala with all her visibility still faces these issues, what about those without her platform or voice? Like Tom, the tomato, who, back in 1893, knew without a doubt that he was a fruit. Tom always knew he was different. He looked like all the other tomatoes, round, red, plump, just like the rest of them. But when Tom looked in the mirror, all he saw was a fruit. It was not just a feeling, it was a truth deep inside him. He knew he was destined for a fruit plate to sit among apples, berries, oranges. But the world did not see it that way. To them, he was just another vegetable, meant for ketchup or soup, but Tom knew better. Tom gathered the courage to tell his father who he really was. But the conversation was not what he had hoped for. Dad, there is something I need to tell you. I do not feel like the other tomatoes. I feel different. I think, I think I am a fruit, a fruit, Tom, you are a tomato, and tomatoes are vegetables. That is just the way it is. Look at all the tomatoes around you. Do any of them say they are fruit, but Dad, I know what I am. I am not meant to be in ketchup or soup. I belong with the fruits on a fruit plate, celebrated for who I truly am. That is nonsense, Tom. You are what you are born as, and you were born a tomato. You can try to run from it, but you will always be a vegetable to me. And with that, Tom's heart broke. The one place he thought he could find acceptance had shut him out. His father could not see him for who he truly was. And so, Tom was left with no choice but to leave, in search of a place where he could be free to live as the fruit he knew himself to be. As Tom wandered away from his home, lost and rejected, he met Nick's, a man who saw him not as the vegetable the world believed him to be, but as the fruit Tom had always known he was. Thomas offered Tom hope, a chance to go to a place where he would finally be accepted. America. Tom, I see you. You are not like the other tomatoes. You are a fruit, and I can help you live as one. Come with me to America, where you can be who you really are. In America, you can live your truth. We have rights. We have freedoms. There, you can be a fruit. America? Do you think they'll really let me be who I am? Absolutely. In America, you will not have to hide. You will be recognized for who you truly are, a fruit. And with that, Tom boarded the ship to America, full of hope for a new life where he could live openly and proudly as the fruit he knew he was. But Tom's fight for identity was far from over. When Tom arrived in America, his dream of being recognized as a fruit was challenged by Hedon, a government official who insisted that Tom was, by all definitions, a vegetable. Tom didn't argue that the dictionaries, websters, and new imperial were clear, a tomato was a vegetable. Oh, the law is clear. A tomato is a vegetable. The dictionaries say so. There is no debate. Next, defending Tom said, "But Tom is treated as a fruit. Look at how he's used on fruit plates and fruit salads. He lives as a fruit, and that is what matters. His identity is not just in biology, it is in how he lives." Nick's was determined to fight for Tom's right to be recognized as a fruit, so he took the case all the way to the Supreme Court. In the Supreme Court, Nick's presented his argument, insisting that Tom's identity as a fruit should be recognized. He argued that identity is about how something is used and understood in the world, not just how it is defined at birth. Your honors, Tom is a fruit in every practical sense. He belongs on the fruit plate, alongside the apples and berries. He lives as a fruit. His identity is not just about biology, it is about how he functions in society. But Hetton argued that the law must follow science and the definitions in the dictionaries. The law cannot ignore the facts, a tomato is a vegetable, and the dictionaries are clear on that. We cannot simply change that because Tom feels differently. The justices weighed the arguments carefully. This identity defined by birth or by how something lived and functioned in society. In the end, the Supreme Court sided with Hetton. Despite how Tom lived, he was legally defined as a vegetable, but for Tom, the fight for identity was not just about the law, it was about being seen for who he truly was. They could not see me for who I am, but that does not change the truth. I know I am a fruit. Tom's legal battle may have ended, but his personal journey continued. He knew who he was, even if the world did not. But before we dive back into the deeper question of identity, let us take a moment to understand what this case was really about. In 1887, Congress passed a law that imposed a tariff on vegetables, but not on fruits. That difference created a financial burden for importers like Nick's, who argued that tomatoes should be classified as fruits to avoid the higher tariff on vegetables. This legal battle was about money, pure and simple. Nick's wanted to lower his cost, and to do that, he needed the tomato to be recognized as a fruit by law. So how did this make it all the way to the Supreme Court? It came down to the definitions in two famous dictionaries, Webster's Dictionary and the New Imperial Dictionary. This argument rested on the botanical definition, which classified tomatoes as fruits because they developed from the flowers ovary and contained seeds. However, Hedden and the government argued that in everyday use, culinary and cultural practice, tomatoes were treated as vegetables, and thus subject to the vegetable tariff. The case turned into a battle of words, quite literally. Both sides presented dictionary definitions in court, and the justices had to decide whether to classify tomatoes based on their botanical nature or on how they were used in everyday life. In the end, the Supreme Court ruled that the everyday use of tomatoes in salads and savory dishes outweighed the botanical definition. The justices determined that tomatoes should be classified as vegetables under tariff law based on their common usage rather than scientific classification. Now, returning to our broader point about identity, this ruling was not just about tariffs or even dictionaries. It was about how we defined something based on how it is seen and used, not just how it was born. Just like Tom, who knew he was a fruit despite how the world treated him as a vegetable, this case reflects the tension between biology and lived experience. In the world of law, the justices ruled based on practical usage, but for those who struggle with identity, whether it is a tomato fighting to be a fruit or a person fighting to be seen for who they are. The real battle is much more personal. It is about how you are recognized, how the world treats you, and ultimately how you choose to define yourself. Next time on Hidden Vertics, we have a special treat for you as we go across the pond to 1896 England. We will explore the case of Amelia Dyer, the angel maker, whose crimes were so horrific they changed child protection laws forever. It is a story of betrayal, trust, and unimaginable horror. Exactly the kind of hidden verdicts we seek to uncover, don't miss it. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Hidden Vertics. I'm Jeff, your host, and until next time, keep questioning, keep searching, and as always, stay curious. Next time on Hidden Vertics, we have a special treat for you as we go across the pond to 1896 England. We will explore the case of Amelia Dyer, the angel maker, whose crimes were so horrific they changed child protection laws forever. It is a story of betrayal, trust, unimaginable horror, don't miss it. Thank you again for joining us on this episode of Hidden Vertics. I'm your host Jeff, and until next time, stay curious. [Music]
