The claim: Image shows racist object in Tim Walz’s kitchen
A Dec. 22, 2024, Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz smiling over a tray of food in a kitchen. What appears to be a figurine of a Black child eating watermelon behind him is circled in red.
“Is Walz a racist!?” the post’s caption reads.
Other versions of the claim were shared on Facebook, Threads and X.
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Our rating: Manipulated media
The object was digitally added to the image. The original photo that Walz shared on social media did not include the racist figurine in the background.
Figurine edited into Walz photo
The former Democratic vice presidential nominee shared the original photo on Facebook and X on Dec. 21, 2024, with the caption, “Homemade caramel popcorn.” The picture doesn’t include any such figurine in the background.
Walz’s daughter shared a video on TikTok the same day, including a screenshot of the original photo and speaking about her father’s popcorn recipe. The picture shown in the video likewise doesn’t show the controversial decoration.
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The figurine’s appearance matches that of a ceramic ashtray found at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The ashtray is part of the museum’s exhibition titled “Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968,” according to the website.
The museum published pictures of the ashtray on its website and in a 2019 Facebook post. The post includes several other pictures of objects representing blackface as well. The ashtray’s dimensions are described as being 4 inches by 4 and 3/4 inches by 5 and 1/2 inches, according to the website. If real, the object in the photo would be much larger.
USA TODAY previously debunked a similar false claim that an image from the TV show “Mad Men” showed Walz wearing blackface.
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
AFP also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources
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Tim Walz, Dec. 21, 2024, X post
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Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Oct. 31, 2019, Facebook post
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Image of Tim Walz with racist figurine is altered | Fact check
