If you grew up in North America, you are probably quite familiar with the brand Aunt Jemima. Whether you grew up eating pancakes made from their mixes, their pancake syrups, or both, you’ve at least had their products once or twice. In recent years, however, the brand’s parent company, Quaker, changed the name and branding of the Aunt Jemima products. Why? Because of its racist origins. This is the real story of Aunt Jemima.
The Real Story of Aunt Jemima
The Aunt Jemima brand is a well-known pancake mix and syrup brand that has been in existence for over 130 years. While there is a rumor that the product itself was invented by Nancy Green, a former slave, the brand was created by Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood in 1889 in St. Joseph, Missouri. The brand’s original purpose was to create a self-rising pancake mix that was easy to make and delicious.
The name “Aunt Jemima” was inspired by a popular song at the time called “Old Aunt Jemima,” which portrayed a happy, friendly black maid. To promote the brand, Rutt and Underwood hired Nancy Green to portray the Aunt Jemima character at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Green’s portrayal helped popularize the brand, and she became closely associated with the character.
Problematic Origins
Throughout the years, the Aunt Jemima character evolved into a stereotypical depiction of an African-American woman, perpetuating racial stereotypes. The character was portrayed as a mammy figure, a term used to describe a loyal, nurturing, and submissive black domestic worker. The brand’s imagery and advertising campaigns reinforced these harmful stereotypes.
In recent decades, there has been growing criticism of the Aunt Jemima brand and its racially insensitive imagery. Activists, scholars, and consumers have argued that the character perpetuated harmful stereotypes and denied the complex and diverse experiences of African-American women. There were calls for a name change and a reexamination of the brand’s history.
Quaker’s Response
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