Aunt Jemima will officially be renamed the Pearl Milling Company; the change will take place in June. According to the Aunt Jemima website, there is history behind the new name.
They state, “Though the Brand is new to store shelves, the name itself has been a part of our story for over 130 years. Pearl Milling Company was a small mill in the bustling town of St. Joseph, Missouri. Using a pearl milling technique, they produced flour, cornmeal, and, beginning in 1889, the famous self-rising pancake mix that would go on to be known as Aunt Jemima. Our pancakes have been bringing smiles to the breakfast table ever since.”
Luckily for Aunt Jemima — or Pearl Milling Company — fans, the recipe, and taste of the products will still be the same. Quaker Oats states, “While the name on the box has changed, the great tasting products – the ‘pearl’ inside the familiar red box – remains the same, with a mission to create joyful breakfast moments for everyone.”
'Aunt Jemima' officially has a new name and logo https://t.co/jhMfLA7fux pic.twitter.com/WhEEeu68vB
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 9, 2021
As with most things, people on Twitter had a lot to say about the brand’s new name. See some of the tweets below.
Aunt Jemima Maple Syrup new logo & name!
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) February 10, 2021
RACISM JUST ENDED! pic.twitter.com/KhGtYOPTJu
Me at the grocery store looking for Aunt Jemima syrup tonight pic.twitter.com/D9nuasXR82
— Rich (@UptownDCRich) February 10, 2021
Fam I’m not calling Aunt Jemima the Pearl Milling Company.
— Jamie (@RealKingJames_) February 10, 2021
Black History Month and Aunt Jemima...
— Word_Girl 💋❄️🌊 (@Word_Grl) February 10, 2021
Things white people on Facebook are angry about today
They gentrified Aunt Jemima. This bottle doesn't even look as thick no more. 😢 https://t.co/tmADpNMbbt
— Just SAYING it OUT LOUD (@GitSayin) February 10, 2021
But isn’t Pearl Milling Company behind the Aunt Jemima imagery in the first place? So we went from the slave to the plantation and that fixes it? Nah.
— Eric Denzelle Wright (@EricDenzelle) February 10, 2021
WE ASKED FOR JUSTICE NOT REMOVING AUNT JEMIMA WTF?!??
— emmanuel jaboukie! (@blaccinsomniac) February 10, 2021
Aunt Jemima changes its name to Pearl Milling Company pic.twitter.com/669Zi1r3Jg
— bob and 1.2k others (@bobcr6) February 10, 2021