Racial Rumors

As one of the primary functions of urban legends is the expression of societal concerns and fears, they often take the form of tales that serve to reinforce prejudicial views of different races, ethnicities, and classes.

Did Dale Earnhardt Sr. Remove Confederate Flag Sticker from Truck? The race-car driving legend's son reportedly once relayed the story.

Mostly True

Did Theodore Roosevelt ‘Punish’ a Mississippi City for Forcing Out a Black Postmaster? The president retaliated when Minnie Cox was pushed out of her position by white residents...

Mostly True

Did a Sign for Starbucks Racial Bias Training Single Out White People? A sign informing Starbucks customers that stores would be closed in order to "educate white...

False

Did ‘Muslim Immigrants’ Commit the Most Knife Crimes in London in 2017? A right-wing Facebook page published a meme that was heavy on Islam-blaming but light on...

Unproven

Did Obama’s Portraitist Paint an Image of a Black Woman Holding the Severed Head of a White Person? Artist Kehinde Wiley is best known for reimagining classical heroic paintings using black men and...

True

Did an American Teenager Who Killed a ‘Muslim Refugee’ for Raping His Sister Get 30 Years in Prison? A anti-Islam, anti-refugee video widely shared on Facebook was blatant fake news.

False

Is Mohammed the Most Popular Name for Newborn Boys in the Netherlands? No, it's not.

False

What Happens When You Cross the United States Border Illegally? A viral Facebook post comparing U.S. immigration policy to that of North Korea and Afghanistan...

Mostly False

Were DACA Recipients Photographed Burning an American Flag? A photograph of a protest was shared with unfounded claims and an inaccurate and misleading...

False

Were Hate Crime Charges Against ‘BLM Kidnappers’ Dropped? Hate crime charges were not dropped, and there is no evidence any of the suspects...

False

Was a Detroit Firefighter Fired for Bringing a Watermelon to His Station? Detroit's fire commissioner confirmed that a probationary firefighter was terminated for work behavior deemed "offensive...

True

Are ‘Liberals’ Getting Offended over Hobby Lobby’s Cotton Decor? Blogs claimed "liberals" were offended over Hobby Lobby cotton decor products because a single Facebook...

Unproven