Because young people, newer to this world than older people are filled with all kinds of wonderful ideas that they think can fix everything. They often think that the answer lies with new words and new rules and the human race being more aware of inequalities and unkindness. As they get older and observe the world longer, many begin to see that the answer lies within themselves and the individual responsibility of each of us and that we cannot legislate morality or march and congregate to make people be kind to each other.

And some people will never be kind to others. Their heartbreak and anger has nothing to do with social justice.

Mrs Smith was the worlds best baker of pies but was a make believe stereotype white lady. She would be replaced by some minority to give some other make believe stereotype a job.

Let's all hope, for our society's betterment, we never lose those people who think..."they can fix everything."

We will always desperately need those folks.

Without that attitude and their actions...nothing would have ever changed for the better. :ohdear:

And a lot of people appear kind on the surface, use it as a costume, give lip service to wanting justice and equality, but they really only want that for their own 'tribe'...and they're obsessions, ugliness, anger and vitriol runs just below the surface.

May those shouting voices and their actions striving for equality, justice, peace and niceness...never be squelched by mean-spirited/passive-aggressive folks. :thumbup:

well put

a college degree doesn't mean one suddenly has wisdom...all it means is that they tested well

A brief history of Aunt Jemima

Nancy Green was born into slavery in 1834 in Montgomery County, Kentucky. In 1889 the creators of Aunt Jemima, Charles Rutt and Charles Underwood, sold the company to R.T Davis, who soon found Nancy Green in Chicago. The previous owners had already agreed upon her ‘look’ of a bandana and apron. Davis combined the Aunt Jemima look with a catchy tune from the Vaudeville circuit to make the Aunt Jemima brand.

Green’s identity was first uncovered at the Worlds’ Columbian Exposition in 1893. There were so many people interested in the Aunt Jemima exhibit, police were called for crowd control. Green served pancakes to thousands of people. People loved her warm personality and friendly demeanor, not to mention her cooking. Green was given an award for showmanship at the exposition.

As a result of her dedication, Aunt Jemima received 50,000 orders for pancake mix. Not only did flour sales soar, but Green received a lifetime contract to serve as spokesperson. She was a living legend of the brand until she died in a car accident in September 1923.

After Green’s passing, the owner of Aunt Jemima, R.T. Davis, experienced financial issues and the brand was sold to Quaker Oats two years later.

As for the image of Aunt Jemima, Nancy Green was followed by Anna Robinson, whose image was changed to a painted portrait on the packaging of the mix. Next was Chicago blues singer and actress Edith Wilson. She was the first Aunt Jemima to appear in television commercials.

After Wilson there was Ethel Ernestine Harper, a former school teacher and actress. The fourth Aunt Jemima was Rosie Hall who was an advertising employee at Quaker Oats until she discovered their need for a new Aunt Jemima. After she died, Hall’s grave was declared a historical landmark.

Next, there was Aylene Lewis. She made her first appearance of Aunt Jemima in 1955 at the Aunt Jemima restaurant at Disneyland. The last woman known to appear as Aunt Jemima publicly was Ann Short Harrington. Harrington would make television appearances as the brand spokesperson in the New York area.

So looks like 7 black ladies "played" Aunt Jemima over the years and were paid for it.

This must be racist, giving black ladies jobs they were perfectly happy to perfom.

Which is why I doubt this will ever change. Those shouting voices and actions only accept equality, justice peace and niceness on their terms and won't listen or accept compromise or alternatives. There are significant numbers of other minorities who will see that to be heard they should follow the BLM model. Riots, burning your neigborhoods, importing those that are paid to instigate is not the answer. Fortunately, there are protestors out their doing it the right way and understand how to make change peacefully. I doubt they will be heard either.

And not to mention probably paid very well.

So sad.
 

I am so sad and disillusioned. I grew up thinking people of different backgrounds were slowly erasing the lines that separated us, that we were healing the wounds of the past and making progress in society and our understanding and acceptance and appreciation of each other.
I see people of all colors achieving great things and becoming wealthy and prosperous. I see mixed marriages, groups of diverse backgrounds working and playing together. I see doctors, lawyers, business people, scientists, teachers and more sharing in the American dream. Oprah Winfrey, Neil Degrass-Tyson, Byron Allen and countless others who have worked and achieved so very much. Was it all a facade? Is it simply a dream?
Evolutionary, climate, geologic change happens slowly. Society and cultures generally do the same. Certainly there are occasional upheavals and they leave great wounds and scars. Some scars never go away. But the scars can be ignored and relegated to the past. They need not define us or continue to cause us pain. If we focus on the scars we relive the pain. If we focus on the future, the pain of the past will fade away and we can get on with the business of living together in harmony.
Now, the big question. Can we do it? I think we can. I think we must. It won't be quick or easy, but let's give it a try, shall we?

Interesting, thanks. Every day's a learning experience.
Steve

So lets get rid of a Icon of success. I think people should read a little history before they condemn it. How utterly short sighted.

A little advertising history and a question (just for fun)
 

Hey, Chi,

About the butter maiden — I want to ask you a question:

You have been around here for almost as long as I have, and I have always assumed that you are a guy. If you are, indeed, a guy, that means that you were once a 5th grade boy.

If so, and now that you have mentioned the famous butter maiden, I am wondering if you and your 5th grade buddies ever got an empty Land O’ Lakes butter box and folded that picture so that her knees moved up to where they appeared to be another part of her anatomy. If you did that, you know what I mean.

(In 1957 The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard was published. It’s about the secrets of advertising — what makes people want what is being sold. Subliminal messages were outed as a big part of the advertising game. Sooooo — about those knees — could that have been subliminal messaging that sold a whole lot of butter. :) )

Boomer

Wow in the fifth grade could have cared less. Now when I got to 7th grade ........

Really? Mrs. Butterworth is going away? I always thought she was a grandma image. I also have never of her as person of color.

And next week we'll have to listen to the complaints that African Americans are under represented in food advertising..

Looks like Cream of Wheat might be getting a redesign too..

I think people are finding things to be offended by just so they can show us how "woke" they are. Then tell us what horrible people we are for not seeing it decades ago..

Clearly the brand should have always been called “Aunt Nancy’s.” Thanks for posting this. Enjoyed reading it.

When the changes they want are over, they won’t need those if you who brought them to the dance any more. They won’t have any allegiance to pledge to you either. You don’t see the forest for the trees, so to speak.

Thank you for posting this link. The short article was very interesting. I hope TOTV folks see it. This discussion on Aunt Jemima et al is reminiscent of the debates regarding how Native Americans are depicted in sports such as Chief Wahoo and the Cleveland Indians or the Tomahawk chop. Some folks have no issue with these portrayals while others find them demeaning.

Well said Gracie. One of the best posts of the year. :bigbow::bigbow::bigbow:

A new Procter & Gamble commercial urges white Americans to protest racial injustice by marching, speaking out and voting. Great sentiment and way past time. I salute Procter & Gamble.

Renaming
 

They could rename black friday good friday since there are good sales, oops already taken....how about Friday the 13th, nope too scary, .....maybe protest friday, nope looting is free...i am out of ideas:bigbow::bigbow:

The companies have already announced that Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and Mrs. Butterworth will retire before the year is out.

So ridiculous, the people who have been the "Aunt Jemima" over the years have no problem with it.

Dress her up make her the mom with kids running her household taking care of her family before heading to her office.

What in the world is wrong with that?

I suppose Black Friday is next. If a company is showing a profit, it means that they are in the black. Is that racist? It seems that no one wants to offend a particular group for fear of repercussions. The pandering by corporate America and the national so-called "leaders" is beyond ridiculous and laughable. It is insanity and totalitarian in its purest form. God bless our great nation.

Sorry, Stu
 

Sorry, Stu. IMO, there is nothing wrong with it. I stated in another post that, as a child unaware of "race", Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and other product reps were people that we liked and trusted to provide us with good food we liked. We weren't taught that there was anything wrong with them or that we should look down on them. Sadly, some folks were and others are offended. So, we will lose symbols that were not intended to be icons of ideology, but somebody was told it was, so it must be so.
I believe in equality and equal opportunity and equal rights and equal protection under the law. The shaming, guilt tripping and finger pointing has become counter productive in many areas and will go to ridiculous extremes. Example, is Yogi Bear a racist symbol? NO! But, someone looking for a fight will be sure to point out that he is brown and a thief of pic-a-nic baskets and therefore a racial insult resulting in the labeling of all cartoonists as racists. The ridiculousness goes on and the division gets wider. It is nuts. We all need a hug but can't get one because of covid.
Stay well. Stay safe. Peace!

I agree when I was growing up I just thought they were good cooks.

Didn't Aunt Jemima come up with recipe?

Her name is on the package so she must have.

Don't know for sure, doesn't matter anyway. George Clooney does not design Nespresso products

They are coming after Splash Mountain too. I am sure Walt Disney said something once that infers he was a racist. Probably have to tear the whole park down or at least rename it.

What next pave our federally funded highways shades of grey so as not to offend anyone.....

Luckily for me I invented a clear shade of asphalt so I will be cleaning up.

Willing to sell some share of stock in my new company at a great discount.:bigbow:

Seattle actually started this nonsense years ago by trying to ban the term "Brown bag" lunch. lol

There'''s more to Seattle '''brown bag''' racial controversy than meets the eye

So in other words we should ban everything with the names brown or black or red or yellow.

Clear will be the new in color as it will probably not offend anyone

So my younger brother is now 'the sheep of color in the family?'

What about Rolling Stones song see red red door want to paint it black Guess that's next on the list.

Remove all white lines on the highways

Tired of it Tired of it

Better not say color cause they might think you mean something different than you are saying.

Soon the thought police will be out among us.

I think that giving in to these symbolic requests or demands doesn't improve anything. It only makes the racism problem worse.

I do agree with you