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9 comments:
It is sad that she has been erased. I had no idea about the actual person behind the famous picture.
Remarkable that a person could be born in the time of slavery and live to see women get the vote. History moves faster than we realize.
The writer of the meme says she was erased by politics. It might be better to say she has been pushed aside by political super-sensitivities.
In those earlier times, it seems the cooking skills of black ladies was perceived to be better than similar skills of white women. Therefore, the choice to use her was appropriate. As was a black female's affectionate name, too. Hard to imagine the use of "Aunt Clara" for the same thing and resultant level of success.
Similar things also happened, recently, with "Uncle Ben's" Rice. As "white nationalists" seek to remove any reference to anything a "person of color" might have done or be aligned with that was successful. Race related, Confederate War related, or otherwise. WHAT are they afraid of or paranoid about??
@Cdadbr, I was under the impression that it was the uber-sensitive youthful generation on the left. They seem to judge everything in the past through their 21st-century eyes. But it happened in the 1970s too. Western Airlines took away their Ute Indian logo, there was the Frito Bandito, and even the cartoon Speedy Gonzales was panned.
You can add to this list of disappearing people of color the following: "Rastus", the chef on the Cream of Wheat box and "Mrs. Butterworth" syrup. And with my family at a young age still remember eating at a "Little Black Sambo's restaurant and didn't think anything about it. I grew up with my Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben and wasn't scarred for life from the exposure.
I know I've mentioned this before but the movie "Imitation of Life", 1934, is a good melodrama that deals with aspects of this topic. It stars the eloquent and natural actor Louise Beavers and Claudette Colbert taking on many of the issues of living "colored" in an unaccepting white world. As with Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers adopted the attitude that they would rather play a maid or servant in Hollywood than have to be a maid or servant in real life. Two strong, articulate women, a treasure for all of us.
Milleson - I've seen "Imitation of Life" two or three times. It's a great movie.
Aunt Jemima was seen in our family as an endearing, warm personality. We never viewed her in a racist way at all.
Does this mean all maids, butlers, gardeners, house cleaners and others in service positions are less than everyone else ? That their hard work is nothing or should be derided ?
Back in 1953 a pancake breakfast was held at the machine shop where my grandfather worked, the makers of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrups promoted the breakfast. A lady who was apparently the Aunt Jemima personality was driven around the plant in a brand new Oldsmobile Fiesta convertible. She was the envy of all the workers at the machine shop ! :)
Her being there left an impression on some the plant workers who were bigots.
Let’s just say she helped change some people’s hearts for the better. :)
Anon@7:37pm - That's great!
Anon@7:37pm - I've decided to work your story into a post, thanks!
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