Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima

You are incorrect in stating that Aunt Jemima never existed. Both she and Uncle Ben were reality. Check the lawsuit posted today regarding Aunt Jemima.

Just to get people on the same page, the column in question is Were Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima real people?

Veg’s answer is no.

The article in the link is somewhat one-sided to say the least.

In fact, the Aunt Jemima brand started in 1889 and the trademark was registered in 1893. Quaker Oats, who had just bought the brand, may very well have registered a new trademark for the new likeness, but that doesn’t mean she played any other role. Anna Short Harrington was simply a woman hired to play a part for a 50-year-old brand established before she was born. In fact, Nancy Green was hired to play the part before Harrington was born. It’s ridiculous to believe that a national baking company with a 50-year-old product suddenly switched over to a recipe from a nobody.

Now, Harrington may have been cheated out of royalties. That’s as much a part of companies’ DNA as not using somebody else’s recipes. But the lawsuit looks to be mostly theater. And proves absolutely nothing about Aunt Jemima being real.

Unless Mrs. Harrington made instant pancake mix and then used that freshly made mix to make her pancakes, I don’t think Quaker Oats stole her recipe.