Fact check: did kfc run this horrible, racist ad to commemorate black history month?

Not Exactly News – On February 3rd, 2021, the claim on social media was that KFC, the global creators of fried chicken with restaurants around the world honored Black History Month in 2021 with a fried chicken leg drum stick, with a ‘unity’ fist as a shadow.

“I hear you, I see you and I stand with you”.

Fact check: did kfc run this horrible, racist ad to commemorate black history month?

Is it real news?

The image used in the fake Tweet was in fact produced by KFC and used during online promotion, but not for Black History Month. It was used by the Trinidad and Tobago arm of the company to honor Emancipation Day. That day recognizes the day slaves were freed in the country, a British Colony Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976. The posting of the image by KFC on Instagram caused and outrage and the company later apologized.

Fact check: did kfc run this horrible, racist ad to commemorate black history month?

Emancipation Day in Trinidad and Tobago started in 1985 and is celebrated each year on August 1st. If the day falls on a holiday, the public holiday is moved to the weekday. In 2021, the holiday fell on Sunday, August 1st and the public holiday was officially recognized on August 2nd. Slavery was abolished in Trinidad in 1833, but full emancipation was not complete until July 31, 1838.

Verdict: 99% Not Exactly News

The image is a real image used by the company, but not for Black History Month as claimed.

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