Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

$
Viral image
Viral image
stated on June 25, 2020 in a Facebook post:

Old photo shows Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and his mother wearing KKK garb.

Pants on Fire!
By Samantha Putterman
June 30, 2020

Image of toddler in KKK garb isn’t of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. It was taken before he was born

If your time is short

  • The photograph was taken before Kemp was born.
See the sources for this fact-check

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is not the toddler photographed wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit with his mother.

But some posts on Facebook are sharing an old photo that says this is the case.

The black-and-white image shows a young boy and a woman wearing KKK attire and displays text that says, “Just so you know this is Governor Kemp and his Mother.”

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) 

There is no evidence the image shows Georgia’s current governor, or his mother. 

The original photograph appears on Getty Images with a caption that notes that the identities of the woman and child are unknown.

Getty notes that the image was created on April 27, 1956. Brian Kemp wasn’t born until Nov. 2, 1963, so it’s not possible that he could be the boy pictured.

We rate this miscaptioned photo Pants on Fire!

Our Sources

Facebook post, June 25, 2020

Getty Images, Woman Dressing her Son in KKK Attire, April 27, 1956

 

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Samantha Putterman
Donald Trump
stated on September 23, 2025 a speech to the U.N. General Assembly
“I have ended seven unendable wars.”
Mostly False
stated on September 3, 2025 a press conference
Every school vaccine mandate “drips” with “slavery.”
Pants on Fire!

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier gets history wrong on census citizenship question

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on January 7, 2026 a press briefing

stated on January 14, 2026 a statement

Social Media
stated on February 14, 2026 social media posts



stated on January 20, 2026 an op-ed


Donald Trump
stated on February 3, 2026 remarks in the Oval Office


Social Media
stated on February 8, 2026 social media posts





Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on stated on November 17, 2025 in remarks at George Washington University:

Donald Trump
stated on February 2, 2026 an interview with Dan Bongino