Edna R. White racist letter to Auchenbaugh [sic] Canning Co.
Creation: 1956 July 28Abstract
This collection consists of a single mimeographed copy of a letter from consumer Edna R. White (1901-1965) of Houston, Texas, to the Aughinbaugh Canning Co. of Biloxi, Mississippi. It includes extensive racist content.
Dates
- Creation: 1956 July 28
Creator
- White, Edna R., 1901-1965 (Correspondent, Person)
Extent
1 item(s)
Historical Note
The Aughinbaugh Canning Co. (misspelled here as Auchenbaugh) was a packer of canned goods, most notably oysters and shrimp. It was founded in the late 1870s in Baltimore, Maryland, relocating to Biloxi, Mississippi, in about 1920.
The company advertised oysters, shrimp, and sauerkraut under the trademarked brand "[the N-word] Head," giving the brand's establishment date as 1883. These advertisements relied heavily on racial stereotyping in their imagery. The brand name was changed in 1955 to Negro Head Oysters, in large part due to pressure brought by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The company seems to have ceased operation during the 1960s or 1970s.
Biographical Note
Edna R. (Ray McIntosh) White (1901-1965) was an office secretary at the Cox Fence Co. in Houston, Texas. She married Frank E. White (1901-1959), the company's proprietor.
She was born in Russellville, Kentucky, to Josephine Wright (1872-?) and George Henry McIntosh (1874-1933). She married Frank William Strahan (1888-1961) in 1919 and divorced in 1929; the couple had one daughter. She moved to Oregon in 1930, where she met Frank E. White; they were married in 1932, moving to Houston, Texas, in 1940.
In 1961, Edna R. White moved to Apache Junction, Arizona, where she died.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a single mimeographed copy of a letter from consumer Edna R. White of Houston, Texas, to the Aughinbaugh Canning Co. of Biloxi, Mississippi, complaining about a change in product brand name from "[the N-word] Head Oysters" to "Negro Head Oysters." The letter includes extensive racist content. White blames the name change on the influence of the NAACP, which was, in fact, correct.
The use of the phrase "[the N-word] Head" in branding extended to other products during the nineteenth century and through the Jim Crow period, including tobacco, wool suiting fabric, coal, landscaping boulders, and cabbages.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Language of Materials
English
Additional Description
Processing Note
Hagley Library is engaged in ongoing efforts to address and responsibly present evidence of oppression and injustice in our collections. If you are concerned about the archival material presented here, or want to learn more about our ongoing work, please contact us at askhagley@hagley.org
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- Edna R. White racist letter to Auchenbaugh [sic] Canning Co.
- Author:
- Diane E. Bockrath
- Date:
- 2023
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
