3 minute read
Companies letting go of their roots
Corporations are changing with the times, revamping old symbols and names based on previous racist caricatures
BY ALIA GAMEZ, STAFF WRITER
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The Black Lives Matter movement’s presence on social media has brewed a lot of media attraction, resulting in loyal corporate customers demanding change from companies with controversial pasts. This demand has led to corporations admitting their racist and problematic history, leaving them to evaluate the faces of their brand for the future.
On June 17th, Quaker Oats, the parent company of Aunt Jemima, announced that they will rebrand the company after revelations of their racist origins. Debuting in the 19th century, the minstrel song “Old Aunt Jemima” inspired company founder Chris Rutt to have Aunt Jemima — a slave caricature — pose as the company’s symbol. The character Aunt Jemima is meant to resemble a Happy Mammy — a fantasy made up that nursing maids loved and were happy to care for white children as slaves — which embodies the racial inferiority displayed during slavery and the Jim Crow era.
BRITNEY WILSON, JUNIOR
At the 1893 World’s Fair, R.T. Davis Milling Co., the owners of the company hired Nancy Green, a former slave, and used her as as Aunt Jemima in a marketing ploy. Green would then continue to be a housekeeper until her death, gaining little profit from her act. Many different women would play as Aunt Jemima over the next 121 years, including Anna Harrington. In 2014, Harrington’s family sued Aunt Jemima, claiming that the company had exploited both Harrington and Green by never giving credit for their contributions to the pancake mix brand. To bring change to the brand and let go of any past racist ties, Quaker Oats decided to reinvent their trademark.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, Vice-President of Quaker Foods North America said to NBC News. “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.”
Another company making changes to their brand is Walt Disney. In a statement on the DisneyParks Blog, the company announced a reimagination of the popular Splash Mountain Ride located at Walt Disney World, in Florida and Disneyland Park in California. The attraction will be modified to portray the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog,” elevating the experience with a more inclusive concept. The ride’s former theme was criticised for its connection to the 1946 Disney movie “Song of the South”—a controversial film that portrays Johnny, a white city boy, moving to his grandmother’s plantation. Johnny then befriends Uncle Remus, an old Black man working on the plantation, who enchants Johnny with many life lessons taught by animated characters.
Criticism towards the movie stems from two factors. First, the movie does not depict whether or not it was set before or after the American Civil War. The obscurity of the time of the movie raises problems because if it were pre-war, the film would send a message that slaves enjoyed forced labor. Second, the most prominent advice Uncle Remus gives Johnny is to not run away from his problems. This lesson alludes to slaves escaping their masters and running away from their plantations. Disney retired the movie since its 40th anniversary in 1986, with the last remaining artifact being Splash Mountain.
“Even though I think the responses are a little late, I am happy now that the subject is getting the attention it deserves, especially as people become more aware of racist pasts,” junior Britney Wilson said.
As globally recognized corporations begin to take notice of their own offensive symbols and trademarks, they are also taking the necessary steps in ensuring their company reflects the common values of their consumers. Though racist caricatures are still prevalent, consumers may find comfort in the fact that their favorite brands are working to change that.
