Washington (AFP)
Aunt Jemima, an iconic black woman who has been decorating Quaker Oats bottles of maple syrup and pancake mix on American shelves for over 130 years, perpetuates "racial stereotypes" and will disappear by the end of l year announced the company.
"We recognize that the origins of Aunt Jemima are based on a racial stereotype," said the brand, which is part of the PepsiCo group, in a statement.
The image and the name of Aunt Jemima, a dark-skinned woman with a bright smile, evoke the south of the United States and by association her past, first slavery, then segregationist and where the condition of the black minority remains subject to numerous discriminations.
The image, which has evolved over time - "but not enough" recognizes Quaker Oats - will disappear from all packaging during the last quarter of the year and the company will also quickly change the name.
The United States has known for over a month massive demonstrations denouncing police violence against African Americans and more generally against racism in general and the legacy of hundreds of years of slavery.
Faced with pressure from the street, the country - and its companies - has plunged into a vast introspection on the place given to the African-American population in society and the systemic racism which strikes them and perpetuates inequalities.
Quaker Oats, whose products, including those of the Aunt Jemima brand, are ubiquitous on the shelves of all supermarkets in the United States, is the latest company to react, but before it many others have promised to amend their recruitment methods to facilitate the hiring of members of visible minorities or to pay money to better facilitate the integration of the community.
The brand has announced that it will donate $ 5 million to initiatives for the African-American minority.
On Tuesday, it was the parent company PepsiCo, which announced a $ 400 million plan over 5 years "to support black communities and increase the representation of black people at PepsiCo".
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