# Who is Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 2, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811 "2013-09-02T16:10:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Red\_Green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@Red\_Green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Green)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/1 "2013-09-02T16:10:21Z")
Actually,Uncle Ben was a Black rice grower from the Gulf Coast.The image is of Frank Brown,a hotel matre’d in Chicago prior to WWII where the execs of the rice company frequented. Aunt Jemima was based on Nancy Green.She was born slave in 1834,and became a renowned story teller in the 1890’s. She was killed in a car crash in 1923 Chicag in 1923. So,unlike Santa Claus,Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima were real people! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/2 "2013-09-02T16:38:53Z")
Here is the column and original information. The background of these characters has been a source of discussion for a long time. > **[Were Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima real people?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342742/were-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima-real-people)** > > A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD > [@](#): > > Uncle Ben does, indeed, appear to have been a real person. According to the official Uncle Ben’s, Inc. website ([www.unclebens.com](http://www.unclebens.com)), he was “an African American rice farmer known to rice millers in and around Houston for consistently producing the highest quality rice.” Unfortunately, the site explains, the details of Uncle Ben’s life are lost to history, although they seem to be aware that he died sometime before the late 1940s > [@](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/3 "2013-09-02T16:45:46Z")
What’s your source, Red\_Green? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/4 "2013-09-02T16:47:10Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > What’s your source, Red\_Green? Betty Crocker, who was the Gerber Baby before she grew up, and is the granddaughter of the Quaker Oats man. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/5 "2013-09-02T17:12:17Z")
Betty Crocker’s mother had an umbrella. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/6 "2013-09-02T23:03:21Z")
Note that Aunt Jemima was a legendary pancake mix long before they expanded the brand to include syrup in—the 60s, I think. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/7 "2013-09-03T02:24:05Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > What’s your source, Red\_Green? Why, _the internet_, of course! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/8 "2013-09-03T04:05:37Z")
There are two different questions here: was there a “real” Uncle Ben or Aunt Jemima who might have originated the foods that have their names (the answer is no) and are the logos based on real people (yes). [Nancy Green was the first person to portray Aunt Jemima in ads](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunt_Jemima). That’s different from being the basis for the character: the brand name existed before she was hired. [It sounds like the name Aunt Jemima itself came from a minstrel show performance](http://www.prmuseum.com/kendrix/trinity.html), which is appropriate given the racist nature of the brand names and the ads from the early years. It took a long time for this to dawn on me, but they’re called Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima because the brand names date back to the days when a lot people would not call a black person Mister or Miss. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/9 "2013-09-03T21:04:07Z")
I find that highly amusing, the racists wouldn’t dare call a black person “mister” or “miss”, so instead they use terms indicating familial relation. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/10 "2013-09-04T04:37:38Z")
How many commercial products are called “Mr. ” or “Mrs. ” with respect to a human figure, real or fictional, who stands in relationship to the product as a sort of patron? I can’t think of even one. There are a few (Mr. Pibb, Mrs. Butterworth) where such a name refers to the product itself, but none that I can recall where the name refers to a person intended to be perceived as the creator or owner. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/11 "2013-09-04T11:55:06Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > How many commercial products are called “Mr. ” or “Mrs. ” with respect to a human figure, real or fictional, who stands in relationship to the product as a sort of patron? I can’t think of even one. There are a few (Mr. Pibb, Mrs. Butterworth) where such a name refers to the product itself, but none that I can recall where the name refers to a person intended to be perceived as the creator or owner. Well, one right off the top of my head: > **[Mr. Clean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Clean)** > > Mr. Clean (or Mr. Proper) is a brand name and mascot owned by Procter & Gamble. It was used for an all-purpose cleaner and later also for a melamine foam abrasive sponge. > The all-purpose cleaner was originally formulated by Linwood Burton, a marine ship cleaning businessman with accounts throughout the east coast of the United States and his friend, Mathusan Chandramohan, a rich entrepreneur from Sri Lanka. > Mr. Clean made his television commercial debut in 1958, initially portrayed in the live-... ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/12 "2013-09-04T12:09:46Z")
I think if you get away from the huge brands and look at the smaller ones you see it more often. I just googled “Mrs Smith’s” and [desserts](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RW2HNEIQB6o/ULu37QakyFI/AAAAAAAAI-w/qUGdgdQA-BE/mrs-smiths-prebaked-coconut_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800) popped up. Doing the same thing for “Mr Johnson’s” game me [rabbit food](http://www.feedem.co.uk/images/products/zoom/1341309107-91988300.jpg). While, off the top of my head, I couldn’t give you examples, it seems like if you wander down the ‘natural’ isle of your local super market you’ll find some more things like this. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/13 "2013-09-04T21:36:43Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Well, one right off the top of my head: > [Mr. Clean - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Clean) No, Mr. Clean is and always has been a personification of the product, not a real or fictional creator/maker/inspiration of the product. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/14 "2013-09-05T02:40:45Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > How many commercial products are called “Mr. ” or “Mrs. ” with respect to a human figure, real or fictional, who stands in relationship to the product as a sort of patron? I can’t think of even one. Mr Brain and Mr Kipling are the only ones that immediately spring to mind, but they’re British. I’ve seen misses and missuses, loads of doctors, and even the occasional professor, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a tradition of employing the masculine honorific in American product names. Perhaps we just take it for granted. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/15 "2013-09-05T21:04:51Z")
[Mrs. Dash](http://www.mrsdash.com/) - salt-free flavor enhancer Mr Gatti’s Pizza place Mrs. Fields cookies Mrs. Baird’s bread How many commercial products are named after a real or fictional creator figure without using Mr. or Mrs.? Does it count if the company name is the creator’s last name? Why or why not? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/16 "2013-09-05T21:37:18Z")
Bob’s Big Boy Carl’s Junior Ruth’s Chris Steak House ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/17 "2013-09-06T01:04:22Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > [Mrs. Dash](http://www.mrsdash.com/) - salt-free flavor enhancer That one’s dodgy. I think it would have to be classed with Mr. Clean. > [@](#): > > Mr Gatti’s Pizza place > Mrs. Fields cookies > Mrs. Baird’s bread And Mrs. Stewart’s bluing. You might be morbidly corpulent from all the pizza, cookies, bread, pancakes, faggots, and pies, but at least your shirts look good. > [@](#): > > How many commercial products are named after a real or fictional creator figure without using Mr. or Mrs.? 14,432,599. That’s just a rough estimate. ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/18 "2013-09-08T03:54:34Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > How many commercial products are called “Mr. ” or “Mrs. ” with respect to a human figure, real or fictional, who stands in relationship to the product as a sort of patron? I can’t think of even one. There are a few (Mr. Pibb, Mrs. Butterworth) where such a name refers to the product itself, but none that I can recall where the name refers to a person intended to be perceived as the creator or owner. [Duncan Hines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_in_Good_Eating) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/19 "2013-09-08T05:17:42Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I find that highly amusing, the racists wouldn’t dare call a black person “mister” or “miss”, so instead they use terms indicating familial relation. Although, in the south, “Aunt” and “Uncle” aren’t uncommon forms of address for people older than you, black or white. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811/20 "2013-09-08T17:31:14Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > [Duncan Hines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_in_Good_Eating) I am unaware of any product named, “Mr Duncan”, “Mr Hines”, or “Mr Duncan Hines” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-uncle-ben-and-aunt-jemima/667811.md?page=2)