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Sunday, June 21, 2020

Aunt Jemima brand to change name, remove image that Quaker says is 'based on a racial stereotype'

“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype," Quaker Oats said, adding that the move is an effort "toward progress on racial equality."

The Aunt Jemima brand of syrup and pancake mix will get a new name and image, Quaker Oats announced Wednesday, saying the company recognizes that "Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype."

The 130-year-old brand features a Black woman named Aunt Jemima, who was originally dressed as a minstrel character.

The picture has changed over time, and in recent years Quaker removed the “mammy” kerchief from the character to blunt growing criticism that the brand perpetuated a racist stereotype that dated to the days of slavery. But 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.”

“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 in a press release. “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations."

Kroepfl said the company has worked to "update" the brand to be "appropriate and respectful" but it realized the changes were insufficient.

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40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I disagree. Growing up the older ladies cooked the best food. There was a lot of cooks and restaurants hired black ladies since they could cook the best food and season just right.

This icon is / was a great compliment. This fast food culture could not eat their food from this era.

Anonymous said...

I am starting to boycott any company that goes along with this nonsense. Uncle ben too. Cream of wheat is next?

Anonymous said...

so sick of the virtue signalers!

Anonymous said...

So they fired her for being black? I thought the left didn't see color.

Anonymous said...

11:45 it's not the fact that she is an older lady. It's because Aunt Jemima comes from an 1875 minstrel show where white performers donned blackface. It was a song in the show. Completely agree with you that you should never trust a skinny chef and soul food is damn good.

Anonymous said...

11:54 go for it, you're basically saying you would rather buy a brand rooted in racial stereotype. It's just a logo, honestly not a big deal that it is changing.

Anonymous said...

11:54 spoken like someone who thinks mayonnaise is spicey.

Anonymous said...

I just cancelled my subscription to Imperfect Foods after the sent me two emails in two days touting, in big, colorful letters, their support of BLM. It was unclear what they were doing to support it or even explain it, but they did trot out a picture of a (the?) black employee for emphasis.

It's disturbing to see companies fall over themselves to jump on the caboose of this slow freight train to nowhere.

Anonymous said...

Aunt Karen cooks with her cat up on the counter, no thanks.

Plus she'll put some agave nectar or some other vegan BS in it.

Anonymous said...

1145 you sir sure exactly why so many of you need to actually consults some facts and data. Sure those old black ladies cooked well. Whether by law or custom, cooking and cleaning were the only jobs they could get during much of their lifetime.

Anonymous said...

What about the Quaker? Talk about a stereotype!

Anonymous said...

The Quaker oats guy is also going to be removed he is too old looking.
Black Crow candy chews have to be changed to Blue-jay Chews.
The Black Hills of S.D. are going to be renamed.
The Black river has a name change coming.
Black Friday has a change coming.

It will never end now that so many are bowing to them!

Anonymous said...

So your boycotting Amazon,Google,Walmart... I could go on.

Anonymous said...

I'm upset about Cracker Jacks! Its about time we change that to Caucasian Jacks!!!

Anonymous said...


The virtue signaling is just unacceptable.

Land O Lakes Indian maiden - gone, even though it was painted by an Indian
Aunt Jemmina has been a solid brand and showed no disrespect to blacks - gone
Uncle Ben's - same
Cream of Wheat - on its way I guess

Other Pepsi brands? Doritos is cultural appropriation of Mexican heritage. Mountain Dew sows a message of disrespect for Appalachian-Americans. Both must be purged and cleansed.

Lisa said...

MLK jr. needs to go, he disrespected his wife and other women. He plageroized his Doctorate and visited hookers all the time.

Anonymous said...

Guess we will have to call all products "it". Like I will not buy brand "it" because "it" has a racist label.

Anonymous said...

Same here.

Anonymous said...

Let's have a chat about Mrs. Butterworth and Log Cabin, too.

These people are off the rails.

Anonymous said...

It's the Mars company. Boycott all their products. Look them up. They own many including Royal Canin Eukanuba Greenie AND they own both VCA and Banfield vet hospitals. Also Wisdom dog DNA Go with Embark
Wisdom is a waste of money. It doesn't give as accurate results. Embark is accurate and the bonus is unless you opt out the DNA is used by Cornell vet school to study canine diseases and conditions so you are helping to save dogs's lives.

Anonymous said...

If I were Kristin Kroepfl, I'd be thinking about changing my last name to something that sounds less like Crapfull.

Anonymous said...

Back in the late 60's we had a black neighbor Miss Green she was heavy set and wore a turban. My mother used to cook and bring her food a few times a week and she used to tell us children to call her our Aunt Jemima. She was proud of Aunt Jemima. She made me a doll that I still have. When the dress is flipped one way it looks like her with the turban on and if you flip the dress the other way it's a little girl with a bow in her hair. I guess today that doll would be considered racist.

Anonymous said...

Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington national monuments too?

Where to draw the line?

June teenth? Anyone really know about that day either?

Anonymous said...

Billions have probably been sold over the years bet if we boycott the product and no one buys they'll change their tune maybe boycott all of Quaker as a whole. Enough is enough put yourselves right out of business.

Anonymous said...

Mostly I buy the store brands not name brands cheaper and most of the time they taste better Walmart's Great Value makes just about everything better than the name brands.

Anonymous said...

George Jefferson on the tv sitcom, "The Jeffersons" looked at a bottle of syrup and said: "Well,the liberals finally got their way. Aunt Jemima is so light-skinned she looks white!"

Louise said: " That's because it's Vermont Maid!"

Anonymous said...

guess they dont know of her history they just think its racist to have her picture on her product

Anonymous said...

What about Kentucky Fried chicken and Col. Sanders? Is it racist to have a white person on their logo?

Anonymous said...

I’m going to make stickers of the traditional label and sell them to you all to slap on the syrup and admire Aunt Jemima and reminisce about the old days in your twilight years before you die and take your racist bones to your grave.

Anonymous said...

Blows my mind how some of you just don't get it. True to your generation.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget the Pillsbury Dough Boy, have to burn that one down too for being offensive to the obese.

Anonymous said...

What next ? Chef Boyardee is cultural appropriation ? Mrs. Paul not a Mrs. at all but now a Ms. ? Orville Redenbacher all of a sudden a creepy popcorn pusher with those teeth he should have teamed up Oral B Dental Floss. The Cambell soup kids...turns out they were incestuous. Clarence Birdseye a Communist Mr. Freeze ? The Jolly Green Giant a little to jolly with Little Sprout ? Ronald McDonald in white face ?
What I find most disturbing is the toilet paper Bears in homes. Shouldn't they be shitting in the woods ?
I would not take advertising too seriously.It's like politics.

Anonymous said...

They do and I’m done. They kicked in 100K to blm. I don’t have a problem with my black friends and others I’m aquatinted with, but I do with a violent group suck as blm. I’m finished with Walmart for supporting that violent crap. Not giving my money to Walmart so it ends up in blm.

Anonymous said...

I can’t afford to paint my white car or trade it. I’m so upset I don’t know what to do. I’m not really a racist.

Anonymous said...

I will never by that syrup again and I challenge everyone to agree with me.

Anonymous said...

Liz,
MLK JR is dead
Already left the building as they say

Anonymous said...

Well you got a black woman having a fit because there are 3 white boys she says on Rice Krispies. If black pictures and names are offending everyone why would 3 little white boys bother anybody?????

Anonymous said...

Everybody has gone nuckin’ fut’s. What else had China released on us?

Anonymous said...

Put Al Sharpton on the Label !! LOL

Anonymous said...

Farakkon on the Label !!!!