Why The Heck Are Sprinkles Also Called Jimmies?

America is a vast and diverse nation, with many distinct regions tucked into its mountains, valleys, forests, and deserts. Within these regions are distinct cultures and quirks that set them apart, including unique regional foods. To get a feel for this diversity, let's look to New England. The brisk, historic region of the country is known for its chowders and bisques, its foliage, maple candy, steamed burgers, and jimmies. 

Now, if you're wondering what jimmies are, you're not alone. Jimmies are known as sprinkles in most parts of the United States. And though the term seems to be losing steam in the region, many proud New Englanders insist on calling the colorful treat jimmies as a badge of their regional identity. But where did this term come from?

Well, it depends on who you ask, and which story you'd like to believe. According to Boston.com, there is no exact answer as to why sprinkles are sometimes called jimmies. However, there are a few strong contenders. One popular theory suggests that the term jimmies originates from the Brooklyn-based Just Born candy company. According to this story, jimmies were named for James Bartholomew, the man in charge of the sprinkle-making machine at the candy factory in the 1930s. These jimmies were distributed to Brigham's, a popular Boston ice cream shop. And so the term jimmies became popular. However, there is some evidence of the term "jimmies" being used as far back as the 1920s, well before the Just Born anecdote took place. So let's look a bit deeper.

There are almost as many jimmies origin stories as there are sprinkles on a cone of ice cream. One story, originating in Pennsylvania in 1901, suggests that the term jimmies comes from a woman named Constance Bartlett who grated chocolate over her son Jimmy's birthday ice cream. Other children at the party weren't allowed to touch the topping as "they're Jimmy's." However, this has proven to be little more than rumor. This theory does point to one aspect of jimmies that is lesser known. Though some refer to all sprinkles as jimmies, many hold that only chocolate sprinkles count as actual jimmies.

There is also another not-so-savory explanation for the term jimmies. According to some, the term originates from racist Jim Crow laws, which targeted Black Americans. According to this theory, the term jimmies is a racist term for chocolate sprinkles. However, Snopes reported there is little to no proof that this theory is at all true, even if it has ebbed and flowed in and out of public discourse for years. And, regardless of its origins, as foggy as they may be, jimmies (or sprinkles) are most definitely a delicious topping for fairy bread, cake, ice cream cone, or any pastry worth its sweetness.