Greetings, Peace and Blessings to you, your family and loved ones. My name is Nana Baakan and I have a lot of questions about what is happening in our world today.
I am going to upload a few videos over the next few days. I just want to share with you some of my questions and get your responses. These videos are simply opinion pieces, I make no claims of being a scientist or having any inside info. Please take that for what it's worth, I just have a lot of questions.
Thanks to all my subscribers who stopped by and to new visitors by sure to subscribe.
The topic of Today's video is the "Black Lives, All Lives Matter, & Cancelling Aunt Jemima."
As the steam engine rolls out and the cry of alarm is hoisted against racial and social injustice, something seems to be missing from the dialogue. On the one hand the Black Lives Matter Movement is flagged with the comment All Lives Matter. All lives matter to the point that Obama pinned an executive order that "Blue Lives Matter" as well after the series of deaths of police officers in their line of duty. So now we have another color to add to the mix of lives that matter. People are asked to stand for the color of the lives and make a statement about changing how these lives are treated.
In this video I want to talk about "All Lives" and I want to ask the question….. When do all lives "NOT" matter? In other words as much as we see these signs going up and protests happening around the world, how is it that the lens of those who are living on this planet can be so narrow and skewed that they miss the hypocrisy of it all.
What am I getting at here? Well, I am getting at the unauthenticity of the outcry for whatever color of the life we are currently being smothered with. What is the nature of the hypocrisy I speak of, you may ask? The hypocrisy I speak of today has two prongs. One is the death penalty and the other is war.
How many times do we say, Black Lives Matter or All Lives Matter and in the same breath call for the "chair" for someone who took a life, whomever that someone may be. How often have these radicalized groups of protesters and opinion makers, followed their, all Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter rhetoric, with ban the death penalty.
You see, we as humans can come almost full circle and still miss the mark. We miss our own double speak which is quite appropriate for the predator class who will find enjoyment in the divide and conquer strategy, polarizing the masses while knowingly understanding that the masses don't REALLY mean Black Lives or All Lives Matter. For if they did, then they would take a more global look at the prevailing culture to see that no life really matters to those who run this world. And on a small scale, Black Lives Or All Lives Matter only in the moment and for specific purposes. Indeed, they would certainly rally around the death of a murderer, encourage revenge and/or vengeance to anyone who murdered their loved one.
It struck me to see the call for "frying" the police who murdered George Floyd. How is that a resolution, especially after saying, Black Lives, All Lives Matter? Taking a look at the crime and punishment scenario, we live among one another as human beings with little regard to how "punishment" can ruin a life.. But feel justified in that punishment because that life did something we deemed criminal or wrong. We fill prisons with millions of lives, and we do not say their lives matter. How deep and pervasive is this movement when we do not include the systemic destruction of lives on a daily basis, vis a vis, poverty, poor education, poor health care, etc.
The beast is humongous and it needs plenty of fear and vengeance to keep it alive. By muddying the waters, it keeps humanity at each other's throats about small issues that do little or nothing to change the status quo. How does killing another human being who killed someone benefit the prevailing society overall or any individual family? They said that Gandhi said, and I am not too sure he even said it, but let me just quote. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, will leave the world blind and toothless."
Change needs to go deep down into the fiber of the human construct. If a life matters, whatever the color, then why does humanity allow, condone and support wars when innocent lives of many ethnicities are lost? The average human is more concerned with his immediate needs and takes not into account the needs of those 7 thousand miles away. Yet those needs maybe the needs of human beings of all ethnicities. Yet, this average human being will march and protest saying an injustice to one is an injustice to all… and not move forward with an antiwar agenda. If Black Lives, All Lives Matter why are these protesters voting for warmongering politicians who live off the carnage of the human species? Is the cover over their eyes so thick that they cannot see the contradiction nor the hypocrisy?
I ask this question because Black Lives cover a wide spectrum of human beings. Human beings who have suffered under oppressive situations around the world. I ask this question because the qualifying retort of "All Lives Matter" still does not take into account the suffering and oppressive situations going on around the world to all ethnicities. When we narrow our focus, we only change a portion of the problem or let's say, we put a band-aide on cancer. We are not dealing with man's inhumanity to man across the broader more pervasive perspective. Therefore, the cry of alarm will only travel a short distance and keep the prevailing society moving forward making the most overt statement of all "No Lives Really Matter".
I could get into a long list of the ways that lives are destroyed on this planet, but suffice it to say that if there is a kernel of sincerity in this movement, then we will see a major change in how societies around the world function, and in how human beings treat human beings.
Folks are coming out with the banner of anti-racism and social justice etc., and, missing the true essence of what this really means, they make quick adjustments and claims to forestall the momentary ire of the masses. I say to Pepsico, Leave Aunt Jemima alone, that doesn't fix anything. Go deeper… get historical context and share that, improve that. Add a caveat on the box, tell the story. Cancelling the product will have no significant impact. I protest this change. What the ever living Fuq is happening to this world. All of a sudden it's racist? Wait till they start looking into fairy tales and Walt Disney.
Now, they took the rag off her head, they gave her some nice curls, and now they just wanna take her face off altogether and change the labeling? This is going a bit too far with this whole social justice bs. It's so superficial and again, does not speak or even point to the systemic racism that is pervasive within the company itself. How about changing some of those hiring practices? How about giving more people of color a say in what goes on around there? How about making sure that Black History month is extended to include the entire year? How about not supporting warmongering politicians? How about disbanding the death penalty?
Some of this stuff is historical and needs to be addressed in its completeness, I never knew the story till now, and that's a good thing. Why can't you just tell the story and let folks decide if they want to purchase the product or not?
By now we have probably all heard the news that Aunt Jemima will lose her face and brand on all the Quaker Oats products that feature her face. So let's go to our first article that tells the story.
Aunt Jemima Brand to Remove Image from Packaging
Before we have to get our tissues out for this heartfelt ripping at the sensibilities oration of what Quaker Oats/Pepsico see as a need to remove Aunt Jemima, let's go for a little historical context and look at this article from wikipedia. Now don't give me the blues about Wikipedia, I was beginning to get confused over who Aunt Jemima was as the names were coming up for more than one person, so wikipedia helped me make some sense of it, so they get a shout out just this one time. From Wikipedia we read….
Aunt Jemima from Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunt_Jemima
Aunt Jemima is a brand of pancake mix, syrup, and other breakfast foods. The Aunt Jemima pancake mix debuted in 1889, the first ready-mix. By 1915 it had become one of the most recognized brands in US history, and changed US trademark law. Currently owned by the Quaker Oats Company of Chicago, now a subsidiary of PepsiCo.
The Aunt Jemima character is based on the enslaved "Mammy" archetype. On June 17, 2020, following the killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests, Quaker Oats announced that the Aunt Jemima brand would be rebranded "to make progress toward racial equality."[1][2]
St. Joseph Gazette editor Chris L. Rutt, of St. Joseph, Missouri, and his friend Charles G. Underwood bought a flour mill in 1888. Rutt and Underwood's Pearl Milling Company faced a glutted flour market. After experimenting, they sold their excess flour as a pancake mix in paper bags with a generic label, "Self-Rising Pancake Flour," later dubbed "the first ready-mix".[3][4][5] To distinguish their pancake mix, in the autumn of 1889 Rutt appropriated the Aunt Jemima name and image from lithographed posters seen at a vaudeville house in St. Joseph, Missouri.[4][5]
However, Rutt and Underwood could not raise enough capital and quickly ran out of money.[5] They sold their company to the Randolph Truett Davis Milling Company (also in St. Joseph, Missouri) in 1890, then the largest flouring mill on the Missouri River, having an established reputation with wholesale and retail grocers throughout the Missouri Valley.[3][5][6] Davis improved the flavor and texture of the product by adding rice flour and corn sugar, and simplified the ready-mix by adding powdered milk. Only water was needed to prepare the batter.[5]
The Davis Milling Company was renamed Aunt Jemima Mills in February 1914.[3][6] By 1915, the Aunt Jemima brand was so well recognized that it changed trademark infringement precedent, the "Aunt Jemima Doctrine".[7]
The Quaker Oats Company purchased the Aunt Jemima Mills Company in 1926, and formally registered the Aunt Jemima trademark in April 1937.[3] It remains one of the longest continually running logos and trademarks in the history of American advertising.[8]
Quaker Oats introduced Aunt Jemima syrup in 1966. This was followed by Aunt Jemima Butter Lite syrup in 1985 and Butter Rich syrup in 1991.[3]
Aunt Jemima frozen foods were licensed out to Aurora Foods in 1996, which was absorbed into Pinnacle Foods Corporation in 2004.
"Jemima" character on 1899 cakewalk sheet music cover (place picture here)
Character
Aunt Jemima is based on the common enslaved "Mammy" archetype, a plump black woman wearing a headscarf who is a devoted and submissive servant.[8][9] Her skin is dark and dewy, with a pearly white smile. Although depictions vary over time, they are similar to the common attire and physical features of "mammy" characters throughout history.[10][11][12][13][14]
The term "Aunt" in this context was a southern form of address used with older enslaved peoples. They were denied use of courtesy titles.[15] A character named "Aunt Jemima" appeared on the stage in Washington, D.C., as early as 1864.[16]
Rutt's inspiration for Aunt Jemima was Billy Kersands' American-style minstrelsy/vaudeville song "Old Aunt Jemima", written in 1875. Rutt reportedly saw a minstrel show featuring the "Old Aunt Jemima" song in the fall of 1889, presented by blackface performers identified by Arthur F. Marquette as "Baker & Farrell".[4] Marquette recounts that the actor playing Aunt Jemima wore an apron and kerchief.[4][15]
Let me add here that it appears from what is reported in this article called
Aunt Jemima: It was Never About the Pancakes
https://blackexcellence.com/aunt-jemima-never-pancakes/
The inspiration for Aunt Jemima came specifically from the song “Old Aunt Jemima” written by a black performer named Billy Kersands in 1875. It was a staple of the minstrel circuit. The song was based on a song sung by slave hands. “Old Aunt Jemima” was performed by men in blackface. One of the men depicted Aunt Jemima – a Slave Mammy of the Plantation South.
What I found most interesting was the number of models who portrayed Aunt Jemima in ads, on the radio and even at the 1920 World's Fair and various other venues.
Performers
The African American Registry of the United States suggests Nancy Green and other individuals who played the caricature of Aunt Jemima should be celebrated in lieu of what has been widely condemned as a stereotypical and racist brand image. On Nancy Green's birthday, November 17, the registry wrote "we celebrate the birth of Nancy Green in 1834. She was a Black storyteller and one of the first Black corporate models in the United States."[27]
Nancy Green was the first spokesperson hired by the R. T. Davis Milling Company for the Aunt Jemima pancake mix.[3] Green was born a slave in Montgomery County, Kentucky.[5][28] Dressed as Aunt Jemima, Green appeared at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, beside the "world's largest flour barrel" (24 feet high), where she operated a pancake-cooking display, sang songs, and told romanticized stories about the Old South (a happy place for blacks and whites alike). She appeared at country fairs, flea markets, food shows, and local grocery stores, her arrival heralded by large billboards featuring the caption, "I'se in town, honey."[5][9][28]
Following Green's work as Aunt Jemima, the company hired a few dozen actors to portray the role, often assigned regionally.[20] Some were relatively well-known.
Lillian Richard was hired to portray Aunt Jemima in 1925, and remained in the role for 23 years.
Anna Robinson was hired to play Aunt Jemima at the 1933 Century of Progress Chicago World's Fair.[3]
Anna Short Harrington began her career as Aunt Jemima in 1935.[32]
Edith Wilson became the face of Aunt Jemima on radio, television, and in personal appearances, from 1948 to 1966.
Rosie Lee Moore Hall portrayed the role of Aunt Jemima from 1950 to 1967.
Aylene Lewis portrayed Aunt Jemima in 1955 at a restaurant of the same name at Disneyland, posing for pictures with visitors.[5]
Ethel Ernestine Harper worked as a traveling Aunt Jemima, giving presentations at schools, churches, and other organizations during the 1950s in person, in print, and in media.
So let's look at a few headlines the links will be in the blog post in the description below for those who wish to read the articles in total. See Below in section marked references
This is just a shot listing of the many articles I have read in preparation for this video.
I have done a tremendous amount of research on this thing. It had my head spinning but I still stand that they should leave it alone, it doesn't mean they are no longer racists! Folks were asking about changing it back in the 50's and 60's and now all of a sudden they realize it has racist stereotypical overtones, give me a break! What was really racist was the fact that none of the models were compensated for their work. And when their families sued, they lost the court case. Remember how they copyright the "Happy Birthday" song?
The issue is that time and time again, they co-opt and patent a product that was not their own. Although, Nancy Green was not the originator of the recipe, her face and the face of those who followed became the brand, and that's my point, stop with this superficial "I ain't gonna be a racist, no more." And give credit where it's due, if they remove her, so they will remove the history and the impact on society not to mention the millions of dollars that that marketing scheme made General Foods, Quaker Oats and now Pepsico!!
Again, I must say that many of these folks who are stepping up and "taking responsibility" are making superficial gestures, they are not making significant changes that will change the face of systemic racism or social injustice. They are simply flapping their lips to get a clap or to, because to me, if they were really sincere, they would have been at the forefront of this movement 500 years ago, or at least 20 years ago.
That's my take on it, and I am sticking with it. Change will take time, but heck, we need to focus on the real problems in order to make real change, window dressing in 2020 will not make the grade.
Thanks for listening, thanks for watching……. And be sure to subscribe and press the like button. Peace and blessings to you your family and loved ones.
PepsiCo announces a more than $400 million initiative over 5 years to lift up Black communities and Black representation.
https://www.pepsico.com/racial-equality-journey
RAMON L. LAGUARTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
https://www.pepsico.com/about/leadership
Nancy Green, the original “Aunt Jemima”
https://aaregistry.org/story/nancy-green-the-original-aunt-jemima/
Only Racist People Want Aunt Jemima Canceled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QAqEOgtDC8
Aunt Jemima Was a Real Person, But the Brand Was Never Black-Owned — What Happened?
Aunt Jemima and the Lost Cause
Posted on June 17, 2020 by Edward S. Alexander
https://emergingcivilwar.com/2020/06/17/aunt-jemima-and-the-lost-cause/
Aunt Jemima brand to change name and remove image from packaging due to racial stereotype
Last 'face' of Aunt Jemima brand became first Black history teacher in Morristown
Aunt Jemima: It was Never About the Pancakes
https://blackexcellence.com/aunt-jemima-never-pancakes/
Pancake flap: 'Aunt Jemima' heirs seek dough
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/10/06/aunt-jemima-lawsuit/16799923/
Aunt Jemima's logo has changed 6 times, and its history is rooted in racial stereotypes and slavery — check out how the brand started and evolved over 130 years
A Lesson In Marketing Magic: The History Of Aunt Jemima
The Fight To Preserve The Legacy Of Nancy Green, The Chicago Woman Who Played The Original ‘Aunt Jemima’
By Katherine Nagasawa Friday, June 19, 1:10 PM EDT
Can We Please, Finally, Get Rid of ‘Aunt Jemima’?
AT AGE 100, A NEW AUNT JEMIMA
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-04-28-8904080069-story.html
Aunt Jemima's logo has changed 6 times, and its history is rooted in racial stereotypes and slavery — check out how the brand started and evolved over 130 years
Old Time Radio, OTR, Aunt Jemima, Variety
https://archive.org/details/Aunt_Jemima
REFLECTIONS ON THE SOUTH IN POPULAR CULTURE
https://southinpopculture.com/2014/10/09/portraits-of-aunt-jemima-in-black-and-blackface/
The Syracuse resident that portrayed Aunt Jemima, and the racist history of the character
Great-grandson of Syracuse’s Aunt Jemima angry at her removal: ‘This is an injustice’
Updated Jun 19, 2020; Posted Jun 19, 2020
All hail the popular black model and former slave who was in everybody’s home in the 1890s as ‘Aunt Jemima’
MILDRED EUROPA TAYLOR Associate Editor Nov 17, 2018 at 08:00am
Little Known Black History Fact: The History of Aunt Jemima
https://blackamericaweb.com/2013/03/28/little-known-black-history-fact-the-history-of-aunt-jemima/
