Aunt Jemima pancake flour, invented in 1889, was the first ready mix food to be sold commercially and if you are as old as me you remember the picture on the box.
Beginning in the mid-1950's people began criticizing the mammy stereotype being portrayed but the brand was selling strongly and had expanded into other products, such a syrup and Quaker Oats did not see the merit in changing the iconic brand and remained resolute for almost thirty-five more years until in 1986 an "offended Oprah Winfrey refused to act in Saturday Night live sketch depicting Aunt Jeremiah. Finally in 1989 (the brands 100th birthday) Quaker bowed to consumer pressure and gave Aunt Jeremiah her latest makeover....
Lighter skin, styled hair, pearl earrings and a white blouse.
I have had this book since I was a small child and I bet I could get arrested for having it!
Sad isn't it?
Beginning in the mid-1950's people began criticizing the mammy stereotype being portrayed but the brand was selling strongly and had expanded into other products, such a syrup and Quaker Oats did not see the merit in changing the iconic brand and remained resolute for almost thirty-five more years until in 1986 an "offended Oprah Winfrey refused to act in Saturday Night live sketch depicting Aunt Jeremiah. Finally in 1989 (the brands 100th birthday) Quaker bowed to consumer pressure and gave Aunt Jeremiah her latest makeover....
I have had this book since I was a small child and I bet I could get arrested for having it!
6 comments:
WoW!!! things i do not even think about. i often think that african americans make too much of it. it was a sweet image in my opinion and if it was a white woman in a head scarf, i would think the same. it's fine...either way!!!
interesting stuff!!
I still use Aunt Jemimia Pancake mix. It's my favorite.
I do remember his early advertising image. We live in a very PC world today.
Yes, I remember all the makeovers she's had. I can understand how the original image could be offensive, and I think the company was right in changing it.
I don't get it either. Another thing I think is crazy is the complaints about sports teams with Indian names.
OMG, people need to get a life and quit complaining about every little thing.
I have a photo of my mom and two of her mother's cooks in grandmother's cafe in Mississippi. They resemble the first aunt J. Mom said they were the best cooks she ever met, and that's say'n something from someone raised in the South.
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