*It took more than a century, and the violent, senseless murder of a black man by a police officer, but Quaker Oats announced Wednesday that it will get rid of its “Aunt Jemima” brand name and replace it with a new name and image, saying they recognize 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 in an attempt to quell growing criticism that the brand perpetuated a racist stereotype that dated to the days of slavery.
But Quaker, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, said Wednesday that removing the image and name altogether is part of an effort by the company “to make progress toward racial equality,” and that the company had worked to “update” the brand to be “appropriate and respectful” but realized the changes were insufficient.
Watch Today’s report on the name ditch below, or here.
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