WikiHow did Beyonce, Jay Z and Barack Obama end up looking like this?

John Plunkett. Updated January 25th, 2017

The “world’s leading how-to” website Wikihow has apologised after a cartoon on the crowdsourced website appeared to show Beyonce, Jay Z and Barack Obama as white.

Here’s the illustration side-by-side with the photograph it was taken from.

Wikihow turned Obama, Beyoncé, and Jay Z white to explain "How to become a congressman." pic.twitter.com/QNTGz5wjaq

— FORMATION (@beyupdates_) January 22, 2017

And Wikihow’s apology – and explanation – in full.

1/ When we saw the whitewashed image of Obama, Jay Z & Beyoncé, we were disgusted & ashamed. It never should have been on wikiHow. https://t.co/tCIgpPpD2R

— wikiHow (@wikiHow) January 24, 2017

@wikiHow 3/ We learned it was made 3 years ago by a team of illustrators who work as one. One person sketches, the other person colors.

— wikiHow (@wikiHow) January 24, 2017

@wikiHow 5/ The colorist wasn’t aware it was Obama and Beyoncé. We don’t think the illustrator intentionally whitewashed here.

— wikiHow (@wikiHow) January 24, 2017

@wikiHow 7/ We’re talking with our illustrators to prevent recurrence and encourage diversity. Especially in positions of power.

— wikiHow (@wikiHow) January 24, 2017