Dixie Beer wants your help picking a new name
A staple beer brand out of New Orleans is asking for help selecting a new name.
The century-old Dixie Brewing Company said in June that it has plans to change its name in the weeks following protests surrounding racial equality in America. Now, it wants the public to weigh in.
The company recently launched a webpage for people to send in suggested new names, saying that it hopes the brewery can play a role in making America more “united, strong and resilient for future generations.”
Some have argued that Dixie is a racially charged term once used to refer to the Southern and Confederate states, and that it has direct ties to slavery.
“We recognize that our nation and community are currently engaged in critical conversations about racism and systemic social issues that have caused immeasurable pain and oppression of our Black and Brown communities,” Dixie Brewery says. “Join us on our journey to make the next 113 years as special as the past 113 years has been.”
The company asks fans to explain what makes their recommended new name a good choice, and it says it hopes to announce a final decision in October.
Dixie Beer isn’t the only brand to announce a name change amid Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd. Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, Cream of Wheat, and the makers of Eskimo Pie have announced plans to rebrand from names that are rooted in a more racially divided era of history.
The country music group The Dixie Chicks has also said the band is changing its name to drop the word “Dixie.”