CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF NANCY GREEN
Believing that the image of Aunt Jemima is racist, Quaker Oats announced today that they would no longer be using the brand name for their famous pancakes and syrups. The African American Registry of the United States, however, would prefer that Nancy Green - the actual woman that Aunt Jemima is based on - should be remembered and celebrated. After all, she was born into slavery, was one of the first prominent Black Corporate Spokespersons and Models in the US, and over her lifetime Nancy Green managed to become a civil rights and anti-poverty advocate.
The Aunt Jemima brand started in 1889 and was trademarked in 1893 by the Davis Milling Company in Missouri. Quaker Oats purchased the brand name in 1926 and in 1966, the company introduced the syrup line and in 1996 Aunt Jemima frozen foods.
Nancy Green was born into slavery in Montgomery County, Kentucky in 1834. After slaves were emancipated, Green eventually moved to Chicago and became a housemaid. She auditioned at the age of 56 and was hired by Davis Milling Company to be their Aunt Jemima Corportate Spokesperson and Model.
To teach perspective customers about the newly developed concept of ready-mixed, self-rising pancake flour mix, Green performed cooking demonstrations, as Aunt Jemima, at the 1893 Chicago World's Exposition. She explained to guests how a boxed pancake mix worked and she personally cooked and served thousands of pancakes. According to reports, "her exhibition booth drew so many people that special policemen were assigned to keep the crowds moving.” Part of the crowds fascination with her was that Green spoke with sincerity about her enslaved childhood.
Nancy Green was a success: The Davis Milling Company received over 50,000 orders, and for her own professional efforts, the Expo officials awarded Green with a certificate and Exposition Medal. The milling company directors were so impressed by her personality and cooking skills that they offered her a lifetime contract, which she accepted.
The marketing of the pancake mix took off as Green traveled on promotional tours all over the country. She herself became famous as her image was soon seen on pancakes boxes in stores and homes. Just a decade after she began, there were 120 million Aunt Jemima pancake mixes sold - which was more than the US population. Reportedly, Green found her job fulfilling and continued working for Quaker Oats until her death at age 89.
During her life, Nancy Green was a devout Christian and highly regarded as a Missionary. With her financial donations, she was able to support the struggling Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago, and it became one of the largest African American churches in the United States. According to reports, because of her business experience and fame, Nancy Green was able to speak with confidence to large crowds and became a leading anti-poverty and equal rights spokesperson in Chicago.
Following Green's death, Anna Short Harrington took over the role of Aunt Jemima for 14 years and through her modeling and personal appearances she was able to support her five children. Eventually, Harrington made enough money to buy a large house in Syracuse, New York and rent out rooms.
In 2014, the descendants of Nancy Green and Anna Harrington filed a lawsuit against Quaker Oats for $2 billion. The suit accused the company of failing to pay family members for the continued use of their images and argued that the women themselves were exploited and never paid their worth or even their promised compensation. In 2015, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice and without leave to amend.
During Vaudeville times, white performers wearing black face sometimes performed as "Mammy" characters attempting to create comedic and romanticized versions of female plantation slaves who enjoyed all of their imprisonment while being surrounded by Southern Hospitality. Sometimes they called that character Aunt Jemima. The idea of *that* Aunt Jemima is a racist indignity to all women, and an affront to black Americans.
The real life of Aunt Jemima's Nancy Green could not be further from the Truth.
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Sources include African American Registry of the United States, Olivet Baptist Church, Notable Kentucky African American Database, BlackExcellence
Nancy Green sounds like the kind of person everybody could admire. Thank you for the history lesson.
