Last 'Face' Of 'Aunt Jemima' Was A Morris County Pioneer

MORRISTOWN, NJ - There were many faces to Ethel Ernestine Harper, but the one she may be most remembered for is the last face of "Aunt Jemima" syrup and pancake mix before the company switched over to an amalgamated image.

An accomplished actress and singer at the time, Harper took on the role of Aunt Jemima from 1955 to 1958. As the promoter of Quaker Oats Company's pancake syrup, her work consisted of radio, television, and in person appearances. She played the character entertaining at pancake festivals, schools, hospitals, and for civic organizations, according to The Ethel Earnestine Harper Papers, North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.

Earlier this week, Quaker Oats announced it will retire its Aunt Jemima brand, Mars will "evolve" its Uncle Ben's brand in response to claims of racist advertising imagery, a "complete brand and packaging review" on Mrs. Butterworth has begun and Parsippany based B&G Foods will be looking into the chef imagery on their Cream of Wheat product.

But those changes sparked backlash from the great-grandson of another woman to play the character, Larnell Evans Sr. The first actress to play Aunt Jemima debuted at Chicago's World's Fair in 1893. Former enslaved woman Nancy Green, who worked as a cook on the South Side, was hired to wear an apron and headscarf while serving pancakes to folks who came to visit the fairgrounds. Green embodied the Aunt Jemima character until her death in 1923.

Evans says his great-grandmother — the late Anna Short Harrington — took Green's place and the rebranding erases his great-grandmother's history.

Many played the part regionally after Green, but shortly after Harper left the role, the imagery was replaced with an artist rendering.

But while Harper's stint as Aunt Jemima may be what she was most know for, it was not where she made the biggest impact, according to officials.

Orphaned Young

Ethel Earnestine Harper was born in Greensboro, Alabama on Sept. 17, 1903 to Wiley W. Harper and Emma Louise Jones Harper. She was the youngest of five, and the only daughter. Both of her parents were teachers and administrators in the Alabama education system, a vocation she would also choose in her early working life, according to The Ethel Earnestine Harper Papers, North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.

When orphaned at the age of nine Harper was first taken in by an aunt in Selma, Alabama. She would later live with her older brother and his wife. She graduated from high school at the age of 15, and by age 17 had graduated from the State Teachers College in Montgomery, Alabama. Like her parents, she taught school at all levels for many years. Unlike her parents however, she was also singing in bands at this time and even leading her own band, records show.

Singing Career

Harper moved to New York City in June 1936. Though she pursued teaching jobs at first, she ended up having a career in entertainment instead. Her singing career started when she won first place in an amateur hour at the Apollo Theater. Her prize was a weeks' engagement at the storied club, records show.

From there she went on to become part of a vocal trio known as the Melody Maids and travelled with them for five months. These initial successes were followed by several parts in Broadway shows.

In 1942, she joined a vocal quartet called The Four Ginger Snaps and went on the nightclub circuit. For five years she performed throughout the United States with this group. She was also a featured entertainer at the old Paradise Restaurant in New York City, according to the records.

In May 1954 she traveled to Italy as the star of a musical revue entitled The Negro Follies of 1955, touring the country for five and a half months. After the Follies tour ended she would continue to perform as a solo act in Italy before returning to New York and taking the role of Aunt Jemima.

Morristown Life

At the age of 55, Harper moved to Morris County, and from 1958 to 1967 she was the first black woman to become a professional in the Morris Area Girl Scout Council. There she would live out the last 20 years of her life. During her time with the Girl Scouts she held various positions: Director, Program Coordinator, Staff Advisor and Committee chair, according to the records.

Harper was also the first teacher of Black History in all of Morris County. She began teaching black history courses at area adult, parochial, and private schools; including Morristown Adult School, the Parsippany Adult School, the Assumption School in Morristown and Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison in 1962.

After she "retired" Harper continued to work in different capacities in Morristown, serving as a Community Outreach Worker at Wetmore Towers, a senior citizens housing development, and she helped to sponsor an annual benefit program for Meals on Wheels.

In addition, records show she became the host of a radio talk show called Youth Speaks Out; Age Speaks Out; Are You Listening? and the hostess of a performing arts showcase, Extravaganza of the Arts, held at Morristown High School in April of 1975.

According to her obituary, Harper died of a heart attack while driving her car in Morristown on April 2, 1979 at the age of 75.

Editor's note: Patch would like to thank the North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library for access to The Ethel Earnestine Harper Papers information and for their assistance as the library is closed to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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