Racism Meet Groundswell
When we think of the year 1888, what do we think of? Any US history buff might think of the general economic growth and the start of our modern city. But for those of us who don’t study history, 1888 is just a year from long ago. It just so happens to be the founding year of The Pearl Milling Company. If we have heard of it, most of us don’t know where the name comes from. This is because the name doesn’t really have the “thing” to brand a company for 135 years successfully. What’s the company? Aunt Jemima. The company changed the idea of American breakfast and developed a strong brand recognition amongst the public. A year after the company’s inception, they started producing Aunt Jemima’s signature pancake mix. But becoming the famous pancake box wasn’t as easy as changing the name. While the product was brilliant and original, the name Aunt Jemima came from slavery and Black-face comedy shows. So, they had to market their new name as homey, positive, and friendly. This i...