Pepsico which merged with quaker. Pancake and syrup maker aunt jemima is changing its name because its origins are based on racial stereotypes and uncle ben s products are also being rebranded. The breakfast brand aunt jemima is removing its logo and will be renamed amid public outcry that the branding perpetuated a racist stereotype its parent company said wednesday.
Yes the three retirees aunt jemima uncle ben and hopefully rastus owe their rest to corporate attempts to get in on a furious fad of social distancing from america s racist past. The character is based on an 1800s mammy a black servant in a white household. Aunt jemima s been a thing for more than 130 years now and its origins are deeply racist.
And aunt jemima pancakes and uncle ben s rice are not the only products on america s shelves that have racist connotations products like nestle s eskimo pies cream of wheat which also. According to the jim crow museum of racist memorabilia the mammy image served as the political social and economic interests of mainstream white america. The mascot was inspired by a former slave named nancy green who was to look like a mammy caricature.
The latest is quaker oats aunt jemima which traces its roots back to 1889. Ap by david lazarus business columnist. The indisputably racist aunt jemima brand and its bewildering longevity speaks to the power of marketing in reinforcing offensive stereotypes.
If you go to the our history section of the aunt jemima website it gives a rather whitewashed rundown of key moment s in the company s long life it was founded in 1889 and 100 years later. Now he s sharing his collection with the world. New racism museum reveals the ugly truth behind aunt jemima david pilgrim has spent decades collecting racist pictures signs and knickknacks.
Quaker oats is retiring the more than 130 year old aunt jemima brand and logo acknowledging its origins are based on a racial stereotype.
