Rumors That Spread Online
There was another side of this controversy, which involves the original Aunt Jemima, Nancy Green. Rumors spread online that it was her who had created the products and that Rutt and Underwood stole her recipe and likeness with no credit and little compensation given to her. Patricia Dickson, for example, tweeted the following, which was widely shared on Facebook:
“Nancy Green, (aka Aunt Jemima) was born into slavery. She was a magnificent cook. When she was ‘freed’ she rolled her talent into a cooking brand that (General Mills) bought & used her likeness. She died in 1923 as one of America’s first black millionaires,”
This, as we know, is not true. Nancy Green was born a slave. When she was 59 years old, the Pearl Milling Company, who had purchased Aunt Jemima from Rutt and Underwood, hired her to travel across the country portraying Aunt Jemima. She continued to play this role until she died in 1923 at age 89, when she was hit by a car. Green made the Pearl Milling Company massive profits in her 30 years for them. Some say she was well paid; however, there is no evidence that she made any money based on the success of the product, just her own wages. There is no real evidence that she was paid equally or well.
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