Aunt Jemima Cartoon Rankles Some

[The Straight Story]

Aunt Jemima Cartoon Rankles Some

CLEVELAND—A weekly newspaper’s editorial cartoon caricature of a black lawmaker as Aunt Jemima has rankled some people in Cleveland.

The black-owned Call & Post paper portrayed state Sen. Nina Turner as the black Aunt Jemima figure used to advertise a breakfast product line. Some blacks find the character offensive because of its use during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a racist stereotype.

The paper criticized Turner, a Cleveland Democrat, for supporting last month’s successful ballot issue to overhaul county government. Some blacks fear the changes will reduce minority political power.

Call & Post associate publisher and editor Connie Harper says the caricature isn’t hurtful.

http://www2.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/state_regional/article/aunt_jemima_cartoon_rankles_some/27530/

[secondwind]

1. this appears to be a non-story.... n/t

[Zoeisright]

2. If African-Americans think it's offensive, it's offensive.

Period.

[kiva]

5. But the problem here is that the cartoon appeared

in a black-owned newspaper; so the question is, which group (those who support her, those who agree with the newspaper owners) gets to decide if it's offensive?

[gmoney]

3. Her husband, Mike, could not be reached for comment...

:hide:

[rocktivity]

4. I guess I need a better idea of the context this should be in

If blacks fear the overhaul she supports will "will reduce minority political power," portraying her as an "Uncle Tom" would have made more sense. And where does "ebonics" fit into it?

P.S. Here she is in real life:


:shrug:
rocktivity