The Uncle Ben's rice brand is getting a new name: Ben's Original. (Mars via AP)NEW YORK – The Uncle Ben's rice brand is getting a new name: Ben's Original. Mars had announced in the summer that the Uncle Ben's brand would “evolve.”Since the 1940s, the rice boxes have featured a white-haired Black man, sometimes with a bow tie, an image critics say evokes servitude. In a short-lived 2007 marketing campaign, the company elevated Uncle Ben to chairman of a rice company. It also is planning a $2.5 million investment in nutritional and education programs for students in Greenville, Mississippi, the majority African-American city where the rice brand has been produced for more than 40 years.

Food manufacturer Mars Incorporated says it's going to make changes to the rice brand Uncle Ben's. The brand and logo have long been criticized for being based on racist stereotypes. Mars released a statement Wednesday saying it is time to "evolve the Uncle Ben's brand, including its visual brand identity." The company said it hasn't determined specific changes or the timeline for making those changes. Earlier on Wednesday, Quaker Oats moved to get rid of the Aunt Jemima pancake brand and logo.