The troubling history of this fictional figure is well documented coming straight out of a minstrel show but the companies making it were happy to sit by for the past 130 years and do. Pepsico the parent company that makes and sells aunt jemima brand syrup and pancake batter decided to discontinue the aunt jemima product line because the name and imagery is based on racist stereotypes. According to the media release over the next five years the aunt jemima brand will donate 5 million to create meaningful ongoing support and engagement in the black community.
The aunt jemima name and likeness will be removed and replaced by this fall. The company s website said the logo started in 1890 and was based on nancy green a storyteller. The brand s origin and logo is based off the song old aunt jemima from a minstrel show performer.
The aunt jemima image has evolved over the years to meet socially acceptable standards of the times but the brand could not shake its history of racial stereotypes and connections to slavery. Images of mammy type characters have also appeared on commercial goods in the united states over the years with ferris university citing aunt jemima as the most successful usage of the stereotype. Media outlets including adage and adweek reported that the name and imagery on the 131 year old brand of pancake syrup and mix will change though it s not yet known to what.
Gray news pepsico the parent company of quaker oats said the aunt jemima brand name and imagery is coming to an end it announced wednesday. The women who portrayed aunt jemima were part of a tradition that dated to 1893 when a former slave named nancy green greeted visitors to the world s fair in chicago. Just as the formula for the mix has changed several times over the years so has the aunt jemima image.
Jaffee a freelance artist from the bronx new york also designed one of the images of aunt jemima used by quaker oats to market the product into the mid 20th century. The aunt jemima package was redesigned around the new likeness. Aunt jemima s logo has changed 6 times and its history is rooted in racial stereotypes and slavery check out how the brand started and evolved over 130 years jessica snouwaert 2020 06 17t21.
See more ideas about aunt jemima vintage advertisements aunt. Aug 5 2014 explore the african american heritage s board aunt jemima throughout history followed by 268 people on pinterest.
