Disclaimer: I am not trolling, I am an autistic person who doesn’t understand so many social nuances. Also I am from New Hampshire (97% white), so I just don’t have any close African-American friends that I am willing to risk asking such a loaded question.
A traditional corned beef has potassium sulfate (saltpeter) which often had red dye in it, lending the meat a pink color. So it was also about making bad meat look better.