Larnell Evans Sr., the great-grandson of “Aunt Jemima,” is standing up against Quaker Oats’ choice to retire the beloved breakfast brand. He feels that merely removing the brand attempts to wipe away a significant portion of history and does a disservice to his family.
Evans’s great-grandmother, Anna Short Harrington, stepped into the role of “Aunt Jemima” following the passing of the original actress, Nancy Green. Harrington was born on a plantation in South Carolina and later worked as a maid and cook for a white family in New York. It was while she was working at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house in Syracuse that a representative from Quaker Oats discovered her, leading to her likeness being featured on their products and advertising.
Harrington became a national figure, traveling throughout the United States and Canada, representing Aunt Jemima and promoting her famous pancakes. Despite her celebrity, Harrington’s family filed a lawsuit in 2014 claiming that Quaker Oats failed to pay royalties. However, the case was dismissed by a federal judge, who stated that Evans and his nephew did not have the legal standing to file suit in Harrington’s name.
In light of recent events and calls for racial equality, Quaker Foods announced the retirement of the Aunt Jemima brand. Similarly, Mars Inc., which produces Uncle Ben’s instant rice, decided to change their brand’s name and logo. The image on Cream of Wheat packaging is also under review for potential removal.
Evans, a 66-year-old Marine Corps veteran, believes that companies like Quaker Oats should go beyond just removing such images. He argues that these corporations need to acknowledge the profits they made from these depictions and provide restitution to the Black community.
Evans’s dedication to preserving his family’s legacy stems from the need for accountability and recognition of the emotional pain these images have caused. He stresses that erasing these symbols without addressing the continuous struggles and injustices faced by Black Americans is insufficient.
The quest for racial equity continues, and Evans hopes that corporations will accept responsibility for their past actions. While removing racially-insensitive images is a positive move, true progress demands more than just hiding the past.
