cross-posted from: https://yall.theatl.social/post/2919644

White Supremacist Group At General Mills Used KKK Imagery To Intimidate, Silence Black Workers, Lawsuit Alleges

From the Atlanta Daily World:

A number of Black employees have come together to file a lawsuit against General Mills, alleging that the company permitted “a racially hostile work environment” at its Covington, Georgia plant.  According to the lawsuit, a group of white managers and HR administrators, dubbed the “Good Ole Boys,” systematically enforced discriminatory policies against Black workers, harassed … Continued

The post White Supremacist Group At General Mills Used KKK Imagery To Intimidate, Silence Black Workers, Lawsuit Alleges appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

  • cygnus@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    78
    ·
    6 months ago

    One notable example cited in the lawsuit is a mural commissioned by General Mills in 2005 at the Covington plant. Designed by a member of the “Good Ole Boys,” the mural depicted characters from General Mills cereals in the likeness of Confederate figures, such as Sonny the Cuckoo Bird as Jefferson Davis, Chef Wendell as Robert E. Lee, and Buzz the Bee as Stonewall Jackson. The mural was only removed in 2021.

    I just can’t… Is this satire?

    • samus12345@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      I lived in Georgia and I can confidently say it is not.

      EDIT: Found it. Pretty sure it’s a parody of the Stone Mountain monument and a lot uglier than I was imagining.

  • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    58
    ·
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    In 1993, a noose was left on a Black worker’s desk, and the following year he was told to “Go back to Africa.”

    Oh yeah not subtle.

    This worker, along with others, was consistently passed over for promotions in favor of less-qualified individuals.

    In the early 2000s, another Black employee found the racial slur “coon” written on his work forms and “KKK” etched on his lunchbox. He was even ordered to submit a handwriting sample to prove he did not write it himself. The lawsuit states that one manager continued to refer to Black people as “colored” well into the 1990s, and another manager told a plaintiff that “women should be at home having kids.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    37
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    6 months ago

    In case people didn’t know:

    On 12 February 2020, the United Nations published a database of companies doing business related in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied Golan Heights.[55] General Mills was listed on the database on account of the activities of its subsidiary General Mills Israel in Israeli settlements in these occupied territories,[56] which some have argued is illegal under international law.[57]

    By the way, these racists are the ones that make Wheaties, right? The cereal that shows black athletes on the box all the time?

    • Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      6 months ago

      Racism isn’t just a “I hate dem darkies”. Slave owners loved their workers too for making them lots of money and even cried for them. Didn’t mean they were willing to treat them like a equal.

    • samus12345@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      6 months ago

      General Mills might choose to not see the racism in their plant, but can they see why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch?

  • TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    27
    ·
    6 months ago

    But but Chief Justice John Roberts said racism doesn’t exist in America anymore when he gutted the Civil Rights Act!

    He was lying to us this entire time?!?1?!

    • samus12345@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      6 months ago

      I lived there for 10 years, same. I’m eternally grateful I left in 2014 before MAGA became a thing.

  • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    6 months ago

    Wow, how did that one slip through? Let’s get these racists out of the general population.

  • JesusSon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    6 months ago

    They took my cereal away,
    They took my Frosted Flakes away,
    I was pouring a bowl,
    When they walked right through my door,
    They took my cereal away.

    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away,
    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away.

    They came while I was dreaming,
    My spoon was left there gleaming,
    They took my bowl, they took my spoon,
    Now I can’t eat in the morning,
    The KKK took my cereal away.

    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away,
    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away.

    And now my milk is lonely,
    Just sitting in the fridge,
    I used to have some Cap’n Crunch,
    But now it’s just a myth.

    I went to buy some more,
    But the shelves were bare and cold,
    The cereal aisle was empty,
    And now I’m feeling old,
    The KKK took my cereal away.

    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away,
    The KKK took my cereal away,
    They took my breakfast away.

    They took it, they took it away,
    They took my cereal away,
    They took it, they took it away,
    They took my breakfast away.