Did You Know Aunt Jemima Lived in Upstate New York?
On June 17, 2020, Quaker Foods announced that they were getting rid of the name and image of the Aunt Jemima brand after 130 years.
What many didn't realize was that Nancy Green's likeness was the original face for their pancake boxes and syrup bottles.
According to Spectrum News, the face that most people recognize is that of Anna Short Harrington, the second face of the brand. Did you know that Anna Short Harrington came from Upstate New York?
Anna came to Syracuse as a maid and she began cooking for several Syracuse fraternities. Her pancakes became legendary and she took her talents to the New York State Fair and that's where her life was changed. Her cooking was so delicious that she was hired by Quaker Oats to be the new face of Aunt Jemima.
Anna became a national celebrity and represented the brand for many years. So why hadn't we heard of Anna Short Harrington until 2020? I'm sure inequality had a lot to do with it. Here is what we do know.
Anna lived in the Syracuse area for 25 years and owned a house in the 15th Ward. She died in 1955 and was buried at the Oakwood Cemetary. Her home, along with many others, was destroyed when they were constructing I-81 in the 1960s.
That's about all we know about her, but that's more than we knew before Quaker Oats retired the brand.
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Gallery Credit: Hannah Lang