In fact, the most famous and highest paid performer of that genre was a Russian-born Jewish guy who was the toast of Broadway named Asa Yoelson: better known as Al Jolson.
Six years after Jemima was “born”, the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Plessy v. Ferguson saying “segregation wasn’t discrimination”, negating the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and giving legitimacy to Jim Crow; another figure of minstrelsy.
Soon, a host of caricatures would gain their own trademarks: Uncle Ben, Rastus (Cream of Wheat) and the ever popular Little Black Sambo.
Even though Congress “killed” Jim Crow with passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawing discrimination in public places based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin, Jemima, and her merry band of Ben, Rastus and Sambo lived on.
Aunt Jemima was preceded in death by too many nieces and nephews to count.
