In 2020, Quaker Oats made headlines when they announced they would retire the “Aunt Jemima” brand, citing its origins in racial stereotypes and the broader push for social justice inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Just one day after the news broke, Marine Corps veteranLarnell Evans Sr., great-grandson of one of the women who portrayed Aunt Jemima, spoke out against the move, calling it a blow to his family’s legacy.
“This is an injustice for me and my family,” Evans said. “This is part of my history. After making money from slavery for years, now the company wants to erase it like it never happened.”