Aunt Jemima ‘based on a racial stereotype’ and will get new logo and name, brand says
The Aunt Jemima brand is getting a new name and removing its logo from syrup, pancake mixes, and other products.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, vice president and chief marketing officer of Quaker Foods North America, said Wednesday in a news release. “While work has been done over the years to update the brand in a manner intended to be appropriate and respectful, we realize those changes are not enough.”
The brand, which has been around for 130 years, “features a Black woman named Aunt Jemima, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character,” NBC News first reported.
Details about the new name and packaging weren’t in the company’s news release.
The Quaker Oats Company, part of PepsiCo, also says at least $5 million from Aunt Jemima will be put toward “support and engagement in the Black community” in the next five years.
Some people took to social media to share their thoughts about the decision.
“Wait, so now it’s racist to have a black woman represent a product beloved and used by tens of millions of people?” one person wrote on Twitter. “I’m so confused at this point.”
Another person wrote: “Imagine if the people upset about Aunt Jemima being removed from Quaker Oats products were at all upset about police murdering black people.”
The announcement comes at a time when several companies have spoken out in support of the Black community. The comments follow the death of George Floyd, who died after a now-arrested Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than 8 minutes.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 5:22 AM with the headline "Aunt Jemima ‘based on a racial stereotype’ and will get new logo and name, brand says."
