Aunt Jemima has been a huge name in pancakes and syrup for 130 YEARS . . . but that’s coming to an end.
Yesterday, Quaker Foods announced that they’re scrapping the name and image because its origins were based on a “racist stereotype.”
“Aunt Jemima” is a Black woman, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character. Her likeness was based on an actual woman named Nancy Green who was born into slavery. Her image has changed over time, and they previously removed her “mammy” kerchief, which nodded back to the days of slavery.
The company said, quote, “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations.”
The change will take some time . . . but Aunt Jemima will be gone by the end of the year. There’s no word yet on the new name . . . but don’t be surprised if they spin it into a marketing thing, where they let America vote on the branding.
This is coming during a time of widespread protests over racial inequality and injustice. A lot of people have been attacking racism EVERYWHERE, and a singer named Kirby recently went viral with her attack on Aunt Jemima.
And yesterday, scientist Neil DeGrasse Tyson said, quote, “It’s not that Aunt Jemima was a symbol of a racist past, she was the very embodiment of a racist past. She will not be missed by anyone who knew that.”
Of course, Aunt Jemima isn’t the only brand with a controversial stereotype . . . there’s also Uncle Ben’s rice, Mrs. Butterworth’s syrups, and Cream of Wheat. They’re still around, for now, but their days may be numbered.
Just hours after Quaker’s announcement, Mars Inc., which owns Uncle Ben’s, said, quote, “Now is the right time to evolve the Uncle Ben’s brand . . . we don’t yet know what the exact changes and timing will be, but we are evaluating all possibilities.”
Conagra, which makes Mrs. Butterworth’s, said it would conduct a complete brand and packaging review. Quote, “[We] can see that our packaging may be interpreted in a way that’s wholly inconsistent with our values.”
The company that makes Cream of Wheat porridge also said they’re “initiating an immediate review of the brand packaging,” which features a smiling Black chef. Their mascot was previously a Black man named “Rastus”, which has been considered an offensive term for Black men.
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