Aunt Jemima trended online on Tuesday after a Twitter user posted a thread about the history of the woman behind the brand — alleging that the company screwed the real Aunt Jemima and her family out of billions of dollars.
The image is of a former slave, Nancy Green, who worked for the company. The company has profited from her image for more than a century.
Quaker removed the “mammy” kerchief from the character years ago but now they have stated that removing the image and name is part of an effort by the company “to make progress toward racial equality.”
Aunt Jemima is owned by PepsiCo.
“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.”