Racism isn’t anything new. However, people are insistent on finding it in the most random of places, including on the breakfast table. For people who love pancakes, Aunt Jemima has been synonymous with delicious syrup and pancake mix. That’s it.
Quaker Oats has decided that Aunt Jemima has to go. The logo is reportedly based on a song of “Old Aunt Jemima,” which was sung by slaves. The logo has been in place since 1890, and on the website, it tells of a story of Nancy Green who was a “storyteller, cook and missionary worker.” There was no mention of her being a slave.
She’s black, however, so it’s only assumed that she was a slave. That, in itself, is a racist thought.
So, rather than allowing the black character to continue serving up breakfast, Quaker Oats has decided that they need to be “appropriate and respectful” when updating the brand. Years ago, they modernized the brand to get rid of the “mammy” kerchief.
They even stopped running their “racist” ads decades ago, where actresses personified the “mammy” stereotype.
What’s going to happen to the brand? The same product will continue to be manufactured. However, both the name of Aunt Jemima and her likeness will be removed. That should make Black Lives Matter. Or, perhaps, it will incite even more riots because, if black lives mattered, shouldn’t they want to have Aunt Jemima immortalized on breakfast syrup forever?
Aunt Jemima’s appearance has evolved over time. The brand’s origin and logo is based off the song “Old Aunt Jemima” from a minstrel show performer and reportedly sung by slaves. The company’s website said the logo started in 1890 and was based on Nancy Green, a “storyteller, cook and missionary worker.” However, the website fails to mention Green was born into slavery.
Richardson said the Aunt Jemima logo is based on a “‘mammy,’ a devoted and submissive servant who eagerly nurtured the children of her white master and mistress while neglecting her own.” A statue of a slave mammy stereotype was approved by the US Senate in 1923, but it was never built.
The company also ran racist ads for several decades, with actresses personifying the mammy stereotype. It evolved the logo over the years, and even hired singer Gladys Knight as a spokeswoman in the 1990s.
Quaker Oats has already announced that they will be working to redesign the brand. What it will be called or what the logo will contain is unknown right now. It’s simply said that the new branding will be out around the fourth quarter of this year.
As for what’s on the shelves, it’s the last of the last. And, people who have already heard that the brand is going away is making a run for it. After all, it could be at least a few months before the syrup makes it back onto the shelves – and if Aunt Jemima’s motherly smiling face isn’t on the bottle, is it really going to taste the same.
While breakfast foodies prepare to say goodbye to Aunt Jemima forever, there are a few other pantry items that are going away because of cultural inappropriation, too.
Quaker Oats Replaces Historically Racist Aunt Jemima Mascot With Black Female Lawyer Who Enjoys Pancakes Sometimes https://t.co/OPI1BnYVaD pic.twitter.com/87rr9ZZ7yG
— The Onion (@TheOnion) June 17, 2020
If you haven’t heard, Land O’ Lakes Butter is doing away with the Indian on the front. Because…we can’t have a logo that contains a bit of history without making it out to be the very worst. Except, Native Indians weren’t offended. Where were their riots in the street to see the butter label addressed? Wait…they didn’t care.
Uncle Ben is next. And you know Mrs. Butterworth can’t stay around for too much longer, either.
Between Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, they were our favorite aunt and uncle. They were extended family. They’ve graced the table for decades. Now, it’s going to hurt a bit to see them go. It’s as if we need a funeral to say our proper goodbyes. They came for our statues and we stayed silent. Now, they’re coming for our breakfast syrup and our rice pilaf…and we’re still not supposed to say anything? When will this end?
Oh, but the Aunt Jemima brand has made sure that they’re being as appropriate as possible while they work to find a new logo. They’re also donating $5 million towards engaging with the black community. Meanwhile, The Onion has suggested a logo change of a “black female lawyer who enjoys pancakes sometimes.”
It might be time to give up on pancakes. With both Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth on the chopping block, what’s left? Log Cabin? Yeah, like that will get to stay around much longer. Those were probably built by slaves, so it’s only a year or two before they come for that brand. Breakfast burritos might be the safer option at this point. So long, Aunt Jemima, and thanks for the memories.
What the hell ever happened to freedom of expression and freedom of speech what the hell is going on with this political correctness bullshit it’s time we stop there problems being generated by the damn Democrats and throw them the hell out of office this is bullshit we are still the land of the free and the home of the brave get brave people stand your ground you cannot rewrite history you cannot erase history and political correctness because something offend somebody it’s called tough shit get over it I am offended by the gay community using the rainbow flag as their symbol God created that symbol to show man he would never flood the planet again yet they use it to slap God in the face does that That it should be totally eliminated from public God I hope so please do away with the rainbow flag do away with all of the snowflake people while you’re at it this is fucking bullshit stand up America fight for your freedom throw all these crooked politicians the hell out of office and let’s take back our country by fours if need be the Civil War will start July 4 of this year in Seattle when the patriots take back Seattle let’s go nationwide and take back every territory that has been taken over by black lives matter or antifa or any leftist extremist groups let’s take back America On the Fourth of July grab your guns and stand your ground wake up America I can only hope that this post will not get eliminated but chances are it will be censored let’s put it in the censorship well we are at it
I am with you 1000% this needs to end now it has all ready gone to far, time for it to stop NOW.
I am with you 2000%!!!!!
Wow!!! Lots of good points but that was the lonest sentence I’ve ever read.
Reminded me of Chevy Chase on christmas vacation.
The leftist are racists because Aunt Jemima was happy, she made a lot of money with her syrup. This crazy ness has to stop, put an end to it now.
The leftist are racists because Aunt Jemima was happy, she made a lot of money with her syrup.
End the Demon Democrats and their Communist nonsense. Vote GOP or anyone but stupid leftists.
Changing food labels is a huge waste of time and will accomplish nothing.
YEP
I will NEVER buy another Quaker oats product as long as I live if they do this.
I already stopped buying Land O Lakes butter. Now I check Aunt Jemima off my list! I had a positive view of both brands and can’t understand why organizations are capitulating to a group of people who hate white people. If they think they are getting more votes of confidence, they are out of their minds! And some of the best songs written by Stephen Foster and sung by black people. They were part of history and also were sung beautifully in classrooms. Remember – if companies fear having low sales, the same group of haters probably don’t even eat pancakes!
I think those radicals are full of fruitcake. I have nothing against Aunt Jemima or Mrs Butterworth, or for that matter, Uncle Ben!!
Stephen Foster wrote some very good songs.
Never fear , they will all be re branded . “PC Pankake Mix , Land of Buttheads Butter , Somebodies Uncle Rice” etc .
I hope it does come to bite Quaker Oats on the ass… By the way, why do they think it is O.K. to have Quaker in their name? Are they just buying oats from Quakers?
I believe they are all ultimately owned ( should I even use that word?) by Pepsi.
I am with you! And the same goes for any of the other brands that bow to this nonsense. What happiness we had enjoying these labels. Put the Indian back on Land of Lakes cowards.
What will all these people have to be proud of if they obligate our history???
Quaker Oats who,what??? Never again will I spend my hard earned money on this nonsense
Why is Quaker Oaks call Quaker Oats? Do they just buy their oats from the Quakers?? Personally I find it very offensive to the Quakers knowing they are not just buying Quaker’s oats yet using the Quaker name… Why it is false advertising!
Why would you take off one black woman and replace her with another black woman? Now I’m offended that you didn’t use a white woman. I’m sure there are white woman layers who like pancakes sometimes. Are you now saying that only black women eat pancakes?? And who are the RACIST? I sure hope all those Democrats that Quaker just gave into eats a lot of Quaker products because I can guarantee I will not ever buy another Quaker product. I am sure there are a lot of people who feel the same way so good luck with selling your products, especially in the South, we eat a lot of grits here.
This is do rediculious!!! Why can’t we keep the heritage alive??? I am so over this nonsense…
The democrats and Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth – A sticky and slippery situation!
Let’s get the black sports people off cereal boxes, off TV commercials, and get rid of street names like mlk blvd. If everything is so offensive to blacks, you are offensive to Latinos, Europeans, whites, and Asian people as well as native Americans. As for companies kneeling to pacify dead beat blacks, like queer oats, your name changes will sit on store shelves and collect dust. There is no equality kissing black asses while you shit on everyone else.
AMEN
Changing the labels on our pancake syrup? Seriously? They have nothing to do with slavery, nor do American people of today. If you dislike Americans, you are free to leave.
Actually the “Black Lives Matter” group, are the ones who are being racist. Aunt Jemima is based on a real Black individual who overcame the fact she (Nancy Green) was a Slave , became free, established a brand of syrup, and became successful as a spokesperson which became a major brand. So what is “racist” about these facts? The only reason which could be remotely possible with her success is that she became a success WITHOUT government control. The belief of socialists/communists is an individual cannot be successful without help from the State. Individual humans cannot achieve anything on their own. Therefore if you have ever accomplished anything on your own, you are a racist! Makes sense to me!
I will be very direct with my comment without the necessity of using vulgar language, but I totally agreed with the first comment. . Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben were one of our favorite products in our household. NEVER EVER it occurred to any of us that they represent racism. On the contrary. Must of my many black friends are the best cooks I know. They should be very proud to the fact that these two items were legends, and the people recognized them by their faces. I can tell you for sure, that much as I loved the products, I will NEVER BUY THEM AGAIN… I will not give me money to a company or people without principles, that let them elf be intimidated by the irrational acts of a few. It I were black, I will be very proud of one of my ancestors showing their face. I am Hispanic and as far as I am concerned, there is no Cuban product with a Cuban face…What a shame!! …. but I will not protest because of that… But what makes me very upset if that now everything is POLITICAL. Socialist and Democrats are taking this opportunity to instigate the people with no knowledge of real facts into the riots and the violence. Black leaders know that the way to solve problems is true legislation and proper changes. Taking down statues is the act of a mop. That is not going to erase our past or our history. Looting somebody else property is depriving hard working people of the fruit of their sweat and labor, and NOBODY has the right to do that, therefor, due to their actions, people have to learn to defend what they have, and if they are coming to them with violence, they will have to resource their defense in firing back. We all agreed that George Floyd was murdered, but justice was done. The voices of his friends were heard and police officers will be severely convicted, in this action and in similar ones, weather the person is black or white. Injustice had no face or color. ALL LIVE MATTERS!! and we are ALL to be treated equally.
We need to move forward as a Nation because we still live in the best country in the world.
I hope and pray that we can celebrate our 4th of July with peace.
Well said! I’m a white male of 83 yrs old. I have friends who are black and they are wonderful people. I played baseball with blacks and served in the Marine Corps with them. I have nothing but respect for all of them! A true story: Returning to Norfolk, Va. in 1954 the bus IO was in stopped at the outskirts of Newport News, Va. and told me I had to walk a couple of miles to the ferry to Norfolk. As I walked down the main street carrying my duffle bag I was approached by a couple of young black men who insisted on carrying my bag. I t was very hot and a store owner came out with a cold drink and refused to take payment. I’ll never forget the wonderful black people.
Can’t fix stupid….even with a 2X4. While I grew up on Aunt Jemima syrup, and think they’re utterly stupid, I haven’t used it in ages. We use a local brand.
Just boycott those companies. Making homemade everything is way healthier anyway. I won’t buy Sheila and all the other brands produced by insane companies. I quit Wal-Mart too since small businesses couldn’t operate. Get recipes online for syrup and fruit spreads sweetened with apple juice. We really don’t need mega-corps anymore!!
aunt jemima was not a slave!!!
Won’t buy Sheila. Almost 78, Southern, never influenced by anyone to hate or mistreat blacks, or anyone. Never looked upon Confederate monuments or flags as anything but history. It has to be an individual choice to hate. Be strong enough to think for yourself and don’t let mobs influence your actions.
As a white male, I am deeply offended by the silly-looking old white “Quaker” on the oatmeal boxes.
All this name changing, statue defacing and/or removal stuff, simply leads us down another path to our societal destruction, which is exactly the whole point isn’t it?
Come Nov we must stop this movement in its tracks and vote these dangerous people OUT!
“AMEN”!!! THERE’S A LOT OF GOOD REPLY’S HERE,BUT THIS ONE HAS TO HIT HOME.NO NAME CALLING,ETC.. U WANT THIS TO “STOP”,THE SAFEST WAY TO STOP THIS IS VERY SIMPLE AND USE OF LESS ENERGY.SIMPLY COME NOV.USE SOME OF THAT ENERGY TO GET U TO THE ELECTION POLLS,PULL ONLY THE LEVELS THAT REPRESENT REPUBLICANS..THEN WILL SEE WHO HAS THE LAST LAUGH..
I , too am over all of this c__p. It is time for all of us to stand up against these protesters, BLM, and others. They are a very small faction, but whoever makes the most noise gets all the attention. We need to fight back. why let a very small group cause us to take down our history and cut back on our police. we need to be the fighters we say we are.
THE BEST WAY TO COUNTER THE IGNORANCE SHOWN BY QUAKER/PEPSI IS TO TOTALLY BOYCOTT EVERY PRODUCT THEY MAKE. WHEN THEIR SALES PLUMMET THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES RACISM. IN PLAIN LANGUAGE –“FUCK ‘EM”
lets show them who we r at the polls in November .D.Trump for(4)more yrs..That’s the “BEST”weapon…
Here’s the thing: it isn’t about people or brands. They’re doing this as part of a power play, because they can. Once the brands are gone, the statues are down, the history is denied, they’ll figure out something else to attack. They’ll do it because they can. No one is going to stand fast and put a halt to the insanity. These antisocial antiAmericans are just going to keep pushing and pushing until their leaders take full control of society. When all is said and done, we’ll be living in some form of utopianism watching the leaders purge the followers. The vast majority of us will be poor, living a day to day existence and drinking too much booze just to calm our senses. It has happened everywhere a socialist system is tried and it will happen here. Lucky for some of us that we are old enough that we won’t be around for the worst of it. I grieve for our young people.
I do believe Pepsi owns the brand along with restaurants, etc. Why is this company capitulating to a bunch of screamers who demand, according in a recent interview with the co-founder of BLM, that the goal IS TO GET TRUMP OUT OF OFFICE. And, according to the Pepsi Co. a sum of money will be donated to the black community. Doesn’t that sound nice (sarcastic font). But, on the other hand, BLM allegedly has a fdn. that we can donate to….it’s Actblu…and guess what, they turn around and make a contribution to whom??? Make a guess…yep, it’s the DNC. Can we connect the dots? Sooooo, the protesters protest and they tear down statues…why…’cause they can and maybe they think it’s great sport…because of slavery? Then why vandalize Lincoln’s monument or tear down Grant’s and Father Junipero Serra…what the heck did he do besides mission work in CA. And, remove Teddy Roosevelt from his place at the Natural History Museum in NYC, just because we can Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben are joining a list of historical luminaries.But then again, destroying history may be the plan….delete that and introduce “woke”, just because history is soooo boring. And then we’ll see statues of some “woke” actor or actress and some new raper. I WISH SOMEONE COULD HELP ME FIGURE OUT A WAY TO STOP THE MADNESS!!!
I grew up with Aunt Jemimas pancakes and syrup with Land O Lakes butter on them. I thought they were the best and I never even associated it with anything to do with race. I will never buy or eat them any more. My way of protesting.
Right on!!!
I don’t drink chocolate milk, don’t own a brown cow , don’t wear black socks, don’t eat chitlings, don’t like rap, don’t have my pants below my ass, and I don’t have gold teeth. I do like watermelon. Maybe quaker oats, Pepsi, other companies ‘ ceo’s don’t drink white milk, don’t own a white cow, don’t wear white socks, do eat shitlings, love rap, pants below the ass, and have gold teeth. I bet they don’t eat watermelon so they won’t offend blacks. The ceo’s are who represent the biggots, and are also racists.
What about LUVS diapers for babies? There goes Amazing Grace from the churches, written by a former slave owner. This is never ending.
The Democrats black communists and the Democrats political communists want to destroy America, erase American history, and have a racial war. Don’t give in to the b.l.m bull shit. Time to end black history month and everything associated with black history. We know black history started in the jungle and they are still in the jungle not wanting to change their lives for the better, but are willing to change anything that is un black. I am locked and loaded.
Don’t call them African Americans, they are Africans, not Americans.
I agree that this is driven by politics. I’m 76 and have not seen this kind of vitriol at this level before. The comment about this country becoming socialist is far more accurate than I’d like to believe. The only ones who profit from socialism are the people at the top. the society will suffer and suffer greatly. I don’t think we get “fair and balanced” reporting from the majority of the news outlets today. Shame on those who are trying to rewrite our history. You will fail, ultimately, other than sports scores, weather reports and local news, the rest of it cannot be believed. In order to get a reasonable picture of what’s going on you have use multiple sources of information. It is very biased to the left in my opinion. Also, in my opinion anyone on the left who makes it into the news, gets a generous amount of air time and/or print space. The other side my recieve a mention. As long as the billionaires can influence the media, this situation is going to worsen. My faith is in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is,has been and will be in complete control.
This country is a missing bowl of races and as a country we have always taken the best of all races. Everyone contributes the best of their races and nationality. To Think that you are better than anyone else is BS. I am a simple man, they are taking my beloved country and destroying it, I’m not happy at all. I can’t change the history of the country ( which has made us great) where everyone had an invested interest in the country success and loved what they created, everything is for tomorrow. I raised my children to never look down on anyone and help everyone they can, I have done my part. I can’t think of what home raised these destroyers of what is good. Every race has given to this country, no one gave more than anyone else. STOP THIS !!!!
Quaker Oats/Pepsi and other brands should and will see their market shares fall,if we stand up and BOYCOTT the products they produce..We have stopped using McDonalds,Coke,and others..Now,as of today no more Quaker/Pepsi..It is getting hard to make choices,when there are so many companies/corporations are contributing to blm/dem.’s funds..Don’t watch news channels,all news,tired of lies,spin,and phony anchors..Use the power of the pocket book..If enough people BOYCOTT ,and vote straight Republican,WE can open eyes and MAGA….Dem.’s are destroying America,and people are blind that socialist==communism,,progressives==communism,,anti-fa==communist,,blm just ignorant to dem.’s control…
I so agree with all the comments, You and I am 74 years old and have never never never seen the likes of what is happening in our country now.
I feel so helpless because I don’t know how to stop it. Unfortunately I think those who are reading these different websites and comments are all conservatives. How do we get this message out to the rest of the country and bypass the main stream media who clearly are radical left?????
Remember the song? ” Aunt Jemima pancakes without the syrup is like the Spring without the Fall and there’s one thing worse in this universe and that’s no Aunt Jemima at all”
We might as well just cancel the lady on Sun Maid Raisins because she is white and she wears a bonnet which feminists will think is just sexist. This cancel culture needs to stop right now!