# Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/695309>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 11, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/695309 "2014-08-11T15:33:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rasil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@rasil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rasil)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/695309/1 "2014-08-11T15:33:39Z")

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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.

> **['Aunt Jemima' heirs file $2 billion lawsuit against Pepsi and Quaker Oats](https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-aunt-jemima-heirs-file-lawsuit-against-pepsi-and-quaker-oats-20140808-story.html)**
>
> Great grandson of Anna Short Harrington, the woman who became "Aunt Jemima," has filed a class action lawsuit seeking $2 billion, plus punitive damages against firms that used her likeness.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/695309/2 "2014-08-11T15:53:22Z")

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Just to get people on the same page, the column in question is [Were Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima real people?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1605/were-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima-real-people)

Veg’s answer is no.

> [@](#):
>
> Unfortunately, no Aunt Jemima (no final “h”) ever actually invented or poured any maple syrup (or maple-flavored corn sweetener substitute). The Quaker Oats Company is the owner of the Aunt Jemima brand, and according to a spokesperson, although there have been three different women who played the part in various promotions, the character was not based on any real person.

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

> [@](#):
>
> Harrington took on the role of the pre-existing character of Aunt Jemima in 1935. In 1937, the company first registered the trademark for the brand. She was allegedly selected because of her own pancake recipe, which the company recreated for the mass market.

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.

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**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/695309/3 "2014-08-11T16:35:49Z")

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> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> 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.