An Ice Cream Truck Jingle's Racist History Has Caught Up To It

Back in June, Good Humor ice cream's Instagram account made an unusual departure from the normal items about new frozen treats. Instead, viewers saw a post about the racist history of popular ice cream truck jingles. Notably, "Turkey in the Straw," a melody that — despite a long, racist past — has piped through the speakers of ice cream trucks and into American neighborhoods for decades.

And, Good Humor said, it wanted to do something about it.

That "something" has taken the form of a collaboration between Good Humor and Wu-Tang Clan's singer, musician and producer RZA to create a new jingle. The brand, owned by Unilever, made the announcement on Thursday that it's helping drivers learn about the racist roots of "Turkey in the Straw" and how to replace the music box in the truck that plays it.