Aunt jemima was named after a song when chris rutt attended a musical concert in 1889 and heard old aunt jemima being played by a black artist wearing an apron and scarf according to african american registry. R t davis milling company hired nancy green to portray the mammy character for aunt jemima. It was a staple of the minstrel circuit.
The inspiration for aunt jemima came specifically from the song old aunt jemima written by a black performer named billy kersands in 1875. Nancy green actually worked with the aunt jemima brand until 1923. Aunt jemima is based on a real woman nancy green who was a storyteller cook and missionary worker.
The first lady who s on the cover was a former slave name nancy green who was employed by the company that made the flower mix and used her at fairs to cook the product with the slogan i. The first aunt jemima characters were a white man in blackface who performed at minstrels shows that stereotyped blacks in the late 1800s early 1900s. Old aunt jemima was performed by men in blackface.
The song was based on a song sung by slave hands. It was a staple of the minstrel circuit. The inspiration for aunt jemima came specifically from the song old aunt jemima written by a black performer named billy kersands in 1875.
In 1889 the creators of aunt jemima charles rutt and charles underwood sold the company to r t davis who soon found nancy green in chicago. Nancy green was born into slavery in 1834 in montgomery county kentucky. In 1890 a former slave named nancy green was hired to be the spokesperson for aunt jemima brand food products.
