So long, Aunt Jemima! Yesterday (Feb. 9), PepsiCo, Inc. announced the debut of Pearl Milling Company, reports PR Newswire. Despite the name change, the beloved pancake mix and syrup varieties will keep the familiar red packaging and will remain on shelves under the Aunt Jemima name, minus the character image, until June. While Pearl Milling Company is new to store shelves, it was founded in 1888 in St. Joseph and is responsible for the iconic self-rising pancake mix that later became known to the world as Aunt Jemima. The Quaker Oats Company purchased the Aunt Jemima brand in 1925 and over the years has updated its image to remove racial stereotypes that dated back to the brand’s origins. In June 2020, the company announced its transition from the Aunt Jemima name and likeness as a whole and pledged a $5 million commitment to support the Black community. “We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins based on a racial stereotype,” said the company in a past press release. “As we work to make...

After ignoring the racist stereotype for over 130 years, Quaker Oats — a subsidiary of PepsiCo — has announced that Aunt Jemima will no longer be the face of its pancake and syrup brand. “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.” Although the brand has changed over the years including the removal of the mammy caricature, which was replaced by a more socially acceptable Black female face, the message behind the brand still remained the same. TikTok user, Kirby, took to social media to give a history lesson on the origins of Aunt Jemima via a video titled “How To Make A Non Racist Breakfast.” “Did you know the name Aunt Jemima means...