Fact Check: Obama, Black Panthers, and Photoshop

The internet (not unlike the stomach of a defensive turkey vulture) loves to regurgitate fake claims.

An older image of someone who appears to be Barack Obama, dressed in Black Panther garb while brandishing a pistol, cigarette casually drooping between his lips bubbled up on Facebook on Monday.

“Taken in 1998” the caption claims. “Just 10 short years before becoming president. Please share this photo of him holding a gun and dressed in a Black Panther uniform. Copy AND SHARE THIS!!! IT WILL BE PULLED DOWN SOON!!!!” (One can only hope.)

Plug this photo into Google and the search engine immediately suggests the apt description ”fake obama black panther.”

Indeed, the image is photoshopped (rather poorly) from a photo of two men posing in front of a New Black Panther Party flag.

“Fraud and impostor with sealed records,” one user ironically (though unaware) commented. Others went a touch further with the conspiracy. “Wow! Obama’s roots of destabilizing this country go back pretty far…I didn’t realize this. I’m definitely sharing this post.” To which the original poster replied, “Kurt you have no idea about the true Obama.”

Ah, Kurt, you have no idea how fake this image is.

If you have questions about this fact check, or would like to submit a request for another fact check, email Holmes Lybrand at [email protected] or the Weekly Standard at [email protected]. For details on TWS Fact Check, see our explainer here.

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