After more than 130 years on grocery store shelves, Aunt Jemima is getting a new name and a new image.
According to NBC News, Quaker Oats announced it is retiring the brand and logo, acknowledging that “Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype.” There have been calls to remove the logo for many years and now the company says, “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.”
The brand was inspired by a song titled “Old Aunt Jemima” which was performed by a minstrel performer in the 1800s. The logo was created in 1890 and was based on a woman named Nancy Green who was a “storyteller, cook and missionary worker.” Although the image has been modernized over the years, the company had faced mounting pressure to change it.
