Aunt Jemima

Aunt Jemima Word Origin noun

1. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a black woman considered by other black people to be subservient to or to curry favor with white people.

Compare Uncle Tom. Origin of Aunt Jemima First recorded in 1885–90; after the trademarked name of a brand of pancake mixes and associated products, featuring a picture of a black female cook on the packagingUsage note The trademarked name and image of Aunt Jemima, as used by the Quaker Oats Company on some of its products, was originally the name of a stereotypical African American character in minstrel shows of the late 19th century. The image used on product packaging, originally a fat, smiling black woman with a kerchief in her hair, has been altered over the years to eliminate racial stereotypes, though the Aunt Jemima product name remains problematic. By depicting servility and subservience to white people, Aunt Jemima retains its offensive racist overtones.