DISPROVEN: The William Branham KKK Photograph
This weekend we were contacted by a person interested in learning more about the photograph of William Branham captured during a Ku Klux Klan rally. To halt the spreading of false information, we are sharing the response here:
This weekend we were contacted by a person interested in learning more about the photograph of William Branham captured during a Ku Klux Klan rally. To halt the spreading of false information, we are sharing the response here:
...
The photograph is not authentic. It was simply created by a video editor for a visual representation of video content. It is somewhat standard practice for situations when multiple established topics are discussed not having a good visual representation to link them. We used to do the same but realized that "Message" believers mistakenly thought some of the photos were real -- after which we removed every one that could be found.
We have been digging very hard to find the "white suit photos", without success. Before the transition of William Branham's stage persona from an Indiana-raised Pentecostal preacher to a Kentucky-raised Baptist preacher, Branham appears to have been a bit more "refined" both in appearance and in his writing style. That version of his stage persona has been mostly erased from history, with only a handful of documents remaining. The photograph in question was cropped from a photograph captured during the time that Branham was sponsored by the Kardashian family. It was during a photoshoot with Avak Hagopian.
More info:
https://william-branham.org/site/people/tatos_kardashian
https://william-branham.org/social/people/avak_hagopian
The real photo (which has been cut from a larger photo):
Another photo from the same event:
My personal opinion is that photographs of Branham in a Klan rally would never have existed. Ceremonially, the Klansman wore hoods during the rallies. Though Roy E. Davis unmasked himself at a Klan rally, it was very unusual. For that reason, it made national news. Strategically, it would not make sense; Branham was far too influential in the North with his doctrines that were rooted in white supremacy such as anti-interracial marriage and "hybreeding", anti-integration and anti-civil rights leaders. (Though yes, they were quite the opposite when speaking to specific audiences). If word were to have spread that he was seen at a Klan rally, he would have lost that influence in the north.
That said, I'm also aware that many photographs that we had access to see have been both filtered and edited. Even among the photos that my family had access to see, Jim Jones has been physically cut out. And (to my knowledge) the "white suit photos" are not present in the collections of photos sold by Voice of God Recordings and/or Believers International. I just do not focus much effort trying to find Klan photos, because even if found, it would be impossible to prove the photo was real.