I found one! I found one! I found one! I felt like shouting to the rafters when I came across a reproduction of a Cream of Wheat ad from 1919 at auction with a little black boy in it. There was not a watermelon or red lip anywhere near him.
In fact, the boy sat opposite a little white boy eating that famous cereal as the Cream of Wheat chef stood over them smiling his trademark smile.
I found this ad quite unusual. Most illustrations or postcards I come across with black children or black people from this era have them reduced to stereotypes. For black children, it was normally a watermelon, ragged clothes and red lips. This commonality of perception of black people was like an illness that had penetrated the country’s psyche, a psychosis that would not let some people see African Americans as human beings who wanted to sit down and eat their cereal just like anyone else.
The framed ad was among about eight propped against a wall at a new auction house I’ve been visiting lately. Most were the typical Cream of Wheat images, except for that one in the middle of the little black boy sharing breakfast at a makeshift table.
I glanced at the ad, looking for a watermelon. Seeing none, I couldn’t believe my eyes. So, I picked it up and searched mightily for that elusive melon. It had to be there. Hiding slightly behind the table? No. Drawn as a design in the bowls? No. Disguised as the table? No.
It wasn’t there. But as I looked at the boy’s mouth, I saw red. As I zeroed in, I saw that it was his tongue and not his lips.
The title was partially obstructed by the frame: “Putting it Down in Black and White.” The illustration was signed Edw. V. Brewer, and printed across the bottom was: “Painted by Edward V. Brewer for Cream of Wheat Company. Copyright 1919 by Cream of Wheat Company.”
On the surface, the ad seemed to make the boys equal. They both were eating from similar bowls, but there was one difference that made them not quite the same. The black boy was dressed in a chef’s smock and hat, looking up admiringly at the Cream of Wheat chef as if he aspired to be him. The white boy was just enjoying his porridge.
It was interesting, though, to find an image of a black child free from the obvious baggage of stereotypes. The ad seemed to be making a powerful statement about blacks and whites even as it maintained the mores of its day. I’d love to know what Brewer had in mind when he painted it.
It piqued my curiosity about Brewer’s other Cream of Wheat illustrations and what they showed. I wondered if his way of thinking conformed or conflicted with the prevailing attitudes of his day.
Brewer was more than just an illustrator for Cream of Wheat ads. He was a noted portrait painter and landscape artist who lived in Minnesota, where the company was headquartered.
According to an article published by the Minnesota Historical Society in 1980, he was that state’s Norman Rockwell, creating full-page folksy-style magazine ads for the company from 1911 to 1926. He was among a cadre of famed illustrators – including artist N.C. Wyeth – that Cream of Wheat founder Emery Mapes used to draw illustrations for his most popular cereal in the late 19th century. Brewer created 102 original paintings during that time.
According to the article, Brewer drew what he knew, taking the subjects of his paintings from his Minnesota surroundings. He used his children and neighbors’ children as models.
Some of the Brewer ads I found followed the normal path of how blacks were portrayed. His first illustration for the company was called “Dat’s Mah Boy” in 1911. As soon as I heard the title, I knew exactly what the illustration would look like. When I found it, it was a drawing of a black man holding a picture of the chef. He looked like a proud father (with no watermelon).
Brewer also did a 1914 illustration of himself sculpting the chef – which, according to the historical society article, was the first time the man was called “Rastus,” a derogatory term for a black man.
Another interesting Brewer painting from 1923 was titled “The World’s Fare,” with the chef surrounded by a diverse group of children from all over the world. It included a black boy, partially hidden behind another child, as if he didn’t quite belong.
Here are some other Brewer illustrations of African Americans:
A Colored Supplement (1918)
The Fortune Teller (1922)
Giddap Uncle (1914)
A Case of Desertion (1909)
Sho Dat’s the Papah Ah Wants (1916)
Mammy’s Beau (1920)
I found a framed print of this work in New Orleans while looking for Black/African American art or depictions. While it is noticed that there is not a watermelon within the work, the overtones are noticeable. The two boys are not sitting at a table while sharing breakfast time, but on a Cream of Wheat crate that by the floor tile, appears to be in the kitchen. Summing up these subtle points: The Chef/Father cooks and works in the kitchen for this white family and has just made a breakfast of Cream of Wheat; while the two boys may be playmates, they are not considered equals. This is evidenced that they are not at a kitchen or dining room table and while the white boy is still in his pajamas, the black boy is identified by his dress which, like the Chef/Father, is as the Help of the house. I am uncertain of Mr. Brewer’s intent at the time of creating this piece, but he has created an intimate setting that has definite lines of distinction. “Putting it down in Black and White” is an apt title as the work appears to state that we can all get along, as long as we all know our place. And for Blacks, that is subjugated to whites. But yes, there is no watermelon.
I too found your site while looking for Cream of Wheat Ads. I search for Edward V. Brewer all the time. As of this date I have found 95 Cream of Wheat ads by Brewer, I was told he did 102 illustrations for Cream of Wheat.
Does anyone know if this is true and if there is a list of the titles of his illustrations?
Any information would be grateful.
Thank You, back to researching.
Hello Sherry,
I came across your blog while doing research on Cream of Wheat ads, particularly those of Edward V. Brewer. There is quality about his work that I am particularly partial to – more so than that of his contemporaries, who were also commissioned by Cream of Wheat (such as William V. Cahill, James Montgomery Flagg, Susan E. Arthurs.)
I do particularly like this one, as well as others such as “The Connoisseurs” (1916) and “The Helper” (1916) for the reason that I didn’t find it so blatantly stereotypical.
As I’ve pondered his works, I, too, was wondering about his personal traits, beliefs, and ideals. I would like to think the best…
Your words and reflections are insightful, and I enjoyed reading your perspective while I continue researching Mr. Brewer’s artistic talent.
-Brad
I have recently been doing some family tree research and wanted to learn more about artists I’m related to, (Edward being my great, great, great uncle), and really enjoyed reading this! It’s a great feeling to know someone in your lineage was able to speak to people through paintings such as this and leave behind such a powerful, uplifting message.
My father passed away in 2006. Stored among some old photo frames I found a copy of Mammys Beau. It has some water damage along the bottom but other than that looks good. I have had it stored in a cabinet until the other day when I came across it while cleaning. I think it is a great piece of history and I am going to reframe it and hang it in my kitchen. I would love to use the old frame it is in but I am afraid it will not hold up. I did not realize the date on it until the other day when I carefully removed it from the frame. I am glad I chose to keep that box of what I thought was just old frames. I guess I am more like my dad than I realize. What a great piece of American history!
Some of them are very nice for framing. I’d love to find an original magazine page of the one I mentioned in this blog post.
Sherry
I love this! I came across this while researching about the cream of wheat adds. I have a whole bunch found at a garage sale out of 1920’s needlecraft magazines. I want to salvage what I can because some of the magazines are in poor shape!
Hi. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It was refreshing to find a Cream of Wheat ad with such a lovely image.
Sherry