"Aunt Jemima" Syrup Pitcher

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Description:

1949 hard plastic syrup pitcher in the form of a black woman. This figure wears a red dress, white apron, and red head wrap. A lever on the back lifts the figure’s head to pour syrup. This piece was given out for free to promote “Aunt Jemima” pancake mix in 1949.

Product Origin:

The U.S.A.

Background:

The piece depicts the stereotypical “Aunt Jemima” figure.

To learn more about this caricature, read "The Mammy Caricature", "Overlooked No More: Nancy Green, the ‘Real Aunt Jemima’", and "Aunt Jemima and the long-overdue rebrand of racist stereotypes."

Statement: We understand these objects may inflict offense through their embodiment of racist ideology by depicting stereotypical and discriminatory imagery and language. However, we hope to educate our community and encourage personal reflection through interacting and understanding the historical context of these objects, rather than ignoring them.