The racism they talk about, using images from slavery, that comes from the other side white people. After a decades long push, Williams was finally able to raise enough money to give Green a proper headstone and marker. We just dont want my aunts legacy what she did making an honest living at the time to be wiped away, she said. Feb. 9, 2021, 4:35 PM PST. "This is an injustice for me and my family. Hayes and Harris both hope Green and Richard are part of that future. Quaker Oats, however, has long maintained that Aunt Jemima is a fictional character and not based on a real person. But descendants of Lillian Richard, who portrayed Aunt Jemima for years, say the company decided to rename the brand without consulting the families of the women who brought the character to life. She worked as Aunt Jemima. And she waspromoting Quaker Oats products. He said she toured the country serving flapjacks while clad in the Aunt Jemima uniform. "This woman served all those people, and it was after slavery. Evans, a 66-year-old Marine Corps veteran living in North Carolina, told Patch that they shouldnt try to erase history. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Agreement. Aunt Jemima originally depicted a jovial black woman wearing kitchen maid attire and a bandanna commonly worn by slaves. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Headstone artist Mark Hunt carefully etched a face that will now be preserved for generations -- a face America is finally getting introduced to all these years later. CNN reported that a new name and logo for the product line would be announced in the fall. he questioned. You would think, working for Quaker Oats, whatever they hired them to do, thats what they would do. While some people might view the image of Aunt Jemima as antiquated or insensitive, Williams does not see it that way. "After making all that moneyand now's the time when black people are saying we want restitution for slavethey're just going to erase history like it didn't happen?". See more. For that, I think Quaker Oaks owes them a large gratitude of thanks, she says. And their answer is to erase my great-grandmother's history. Fact check: Aunt Jemima model Nancy Green didn't create the brand This is part of my history, sir, Evans said Thursday. "I understand what Quaker Oats is doing because I'm Black and I don't want a negative image promoted, however, I just don't want her legacy lost, because if her legacy is swept under the rug and washed away, it's as if she never was a person. The first "Aunt Jemima" was introduced at Chicago's World's Fair in 1893 and was portrayed by Nancy Green, a formerly enslaved woman. That was her job, Evans said. The sudden news in the midst of this countrys "racial reckoning" shocked both families. Harris and her family have led several efforts to commemorate Richard's legacy. By Jon Schlosberg and Deborah Roberts August 12, 2020, 12:51 PM 9:20 A photo of Nancy Green is etched into her headstone. A black female It hurts.. And just like that Aunt Jemima was born. Evans believes white corporations that profit off of the culture should pay restitution rather than erase history like it didnt happen.. For Aunt Jemima, the brand's image references a 'mammy' character who served white people. Several descendants of women who played "Aunt Jemima" are speaking out against the Quaker Oats food company's decision to rebrand its Aunt Jemima breakfast line. Mr. Evans, Larnell Evans Sr., the great-grandson of the woman who played Aunt Jemima for nearly 20 years, tells Patch that he vehemently disagrees with Quaker Oats .