Regardless, why did it take so long for a breakfast food company to concede that its iconography is racist? Quaker Oats will replace the 130-year-old Aunt Jemima brand and logo in June, one year after it announced plans to do so. However, if you have celiac disease or are highly gluten-sensitive, it’s important to check the labels carefully and be aware of the possibility of cross-contamination.

Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, and Cream of Wheat’s - Vox Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, and Cream of Wheat’s - Vox

The reasons people are unhappy with the name change vary, but some people on Twitter said they thought the new name was even more racist. Quaker also felt that using a female persona might “signal that this brand is for women only,” undermining the intended message that “it’s an inclusive brand that is for everybody,” Kroepfl says. Whether you prefer a classic maple taste or something more fruity or spicy, there’s a flavour for everyone. The 130-year-old brand of syrup and pancake mix features a black woman, who originally dressed as a minstrel, on its packaging. In 1989, marking the 100th anniversary of the brand, her image was again updated, with all head-covering removed, revealing wavy, gray-streaked hair, gold-trimmed pearl earrings, and replacing her plain white collar with lace.Some expressed distrust that the corporate leaders at Quaker Oats and PepsiCo really had good intentions.

Aunt Jemima: The inside story behind its new name | Fortune Aunt Jemima: The inside story behind its new name | Fortune

However, it is important to note that not all pancake mixes are gluten-free, so always check the label before purchasing. Butterworth’s, whose humanoid bottle shape looks like a woman of color when filled with maple syrup, announced they were changing the brand’s name on the same day.Subsequent advertising agencies hired dozens of actors to perform the role as the first organized sales promotion campaign. The ad copy says, "After the Civil War, after her master's death, Aunt Jemima was finally persuaded to sell her famous pancake recipe to the representative of a northern milling company. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. Aunt Jemima Syrup is also free from dairy, fish, shellfish, egg, tree nuts, sesame, peanut, mustard, sulfites, celery, and lupin, making it suitable for people with other food allergies or intolerances.

Real Reason People Are Unhappy With Aunt Jemima - Mashed The Real Reason People Are Unhappy With Aunt Jemima - Mashed

However, if you are looking for a wider variety of gluten-free options, Maple Grove Farms is a good brand to consider.a devoted and submissive servant who eagerly nurtured the children of her white master and mistress while neglecting her own. At that World's Fair, and for decades afterward, [31] marketers created and circulated fictional stories about Aunt Jemima. The product originally carried the name "self-rising pancake flour," but Rutt was inspired to change the name of the mix after he attended a minstrel show and saw men dressed in blackface perform a song entitled "Old Aunt Jemima.

Aunt Jemima brand to change name, remove image that Quaker

Quaker, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, said removing the image and name is part of an effort by the company "to make progress toward racial equality. While these stories were presented as if they were the genuine memories of Aunt Jemima, Green was, of course, just playing a fictional character. Daina Ramey Berry, a professor of history at the University of Texas, said the decision to drop the name and the image of Aunt Jemima is significant because the brand normalized a racist depiction of Black women. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Rag doll versions were offered as a premium in 1909: "Aunt Jemima Pancake Flour/Pica ninny Doll/ The Davis Milling Company.The original version of the pancake mix was developed in 1888–1889, and was advertised as the first " ready-mix" cooking product. Even if a product is labelled as gluten-free, there is still a risk of cross-contamination during the manufacturing process or when it comes into contact with other products that contain gluten. In a 2015 piece for The New York Times, Richardson wrote that the inspiration for the brand's name came from a minstrel song, "Old Aunt Jemima," in which white actors in blackface mocked and derided Black people.