RICHMOND, Va. — The Latest on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s yearbook photo of a person in blackface (all times local):

Two prominent Democratic presidential candidates have joined those calling for Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s resignation after he acknowledged appearing in a photo showing one person dressed in blackface and another in a full Ku Klux Klan uniform.

Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted Friday night that Northam should “step aside so the public can heal and move forward together.”

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and presidential candidate Julian Castro tweeted a similar message, saying Northam should resign because his “behavior was racist and unconscionable.”

Some Republican Virginia lawmakers and the NAACP have also called on Northam to step down.

Northam apologized for what he called “racist and offensive” costumes portrayed in the photo on a 1984 medical school yearbook page.

The governor did not say which of the two costumes he was wearing.

The NAACP is calling on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to resign over a yearbook photo in which he posed either as a person in blackface or a Ku Klux Klan member.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson tweeted Friday night that “Black face in any manner is always racist and never okay.”

Johnson’s tweet came shortly after Northam apologized for what he called “racist and offensive” costumes portrayed in the photo on a 1984 medical school yearbook page.

The governor did not say which of the two costumes he was wearing.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has apologized for a “racist and offensive” costume seen on his 1984 medical school yearbook page.

The photo shows a person in blackface and another in full Ku Klux Klan robes. The governor did not say which costume he was wearing.

The Democratic governor said Friday that the behavior was not in keeping with his values and he will work to heal the damage he has caused.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1984 yearbook page shows a picture of a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood next to different pictures of the governor.

The Virginian-Pilot said it obtained a copy of the photo Friday from Eastern Virginia Medical School library, which Northam attended. The photos were first published by the conservative news outlet Big League Politics. The Associated Press confirmed the photos.

It’s unclear who the people in the picture are, but the rest of the page is filled with pictures of Northam and lists his undergraduate alma mater and other information about him.

The Democratic governor’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Northam has recently come under fire from Republicans for supporting looser restrictions on late-term abortions.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday acknowledged appearing in a "clearly racist and offensive" photograph in his 1984 medical school yearbook that shows a man in blackface next to another in a Ku Klux Klan robe.

In a statement issued late Friday, Northam apologized for wearing a costume "that is clearly racist and offensive."

The Democratic governor did not say if he was the man dressed in blackface or Klan robes.

"I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now," he said. "This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service. But I want to be clear, I understand how this decision shakes Virginians' faith in that commitment."

Northam did not say if he was the man dressed in blackface or Klan robes. The governor's statement indicated that he had no immediate plans to resign, despite some calls for him to do so.

"I recognize that it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work. The first step is to offer my sincerest apology and to state my absolute commitment to living up to the expectations Virginians set for me when they elected me to be their Governor."

The image is in a 1984 yearbook from Eastern Virginia Medical School on a page with other photos of Northam and personal information about the future governor.

Northam, a pediatric neurologist, graduated from the Norfolk medical school in 1984 after earlier graduating from Virginia Military Institute.

The page is labeled Ralph Shearer Northam, along with pictures of him in a jacket and tie, casual clothes and alongside his restored Corvette.

It shows two people, one in plaid pants, bow tie and black faced, and the other in full Klan robes and a hood. Both men appear to be holding beer cans.

The person in black face is smiling. Beneath the photo is a writeup about Northam listing his alma mater, noting that his interest is pediatrics and giving a quote: "There are more old drunks than old doctors in this world so I think I'll have another beer."

Jack Wilson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia said Northam should step down.

"Racism has no place in Virginia," Wilson said in a statement. "These pictures are wholly inappropriate. If Governor Northam appeared in blackface or dressed in a KKK robe, he should resign immediately."

The yearbook image was first posted Friday by the website Big League Politics, a conservative outlet founded by Patrick Howley, a former writer for the Daily Caller and Breitbart.

The Washington Post independently confirmed the authenticity of the yearbook by viewing it in the medical school library in Norfolk.

The revelation comes amid a wild week in which Northam was accused by Republicans of advocating infanticide after he made comments defending a bill that would have lifted restrictions on late-term abortions.

House Speaker Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment, R-James City, and other Republican leaders released a statement that said, "This is a deeply disturbing and offensive photograph in need of an immediate explanation by the Governor."

Rep. Denver Riggleman, R-Va., who represents a city where white supremacists held a deadly rally in 2017, said on Twitter: "As a Virginian & Rep. of Charlottesville, @GovernorVA yearbook photos hit more than a nerve. This Virginian demands an explanation. Now. Issues of racial discrimination cannot be taken lightly & this type of behavior is dangerous & unacceptable in any form."

Riggleman ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in the 2017 gubernatorial race that Northam ultimately won.

"His whole life has been about exactly the opposite and that's what you need to examine, not something that occurred 30 years ago," said Saslaw. "While it's in very poor taste, I would think no one in the General Assembly who would like their college conduct examined. I would hate to have to go back and examine my two years in the Army. Trust me. I was 18 years old and I was a handful, OK? His life since then has been anything but. It's been a life of helping people, and many times for free."

Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Stafford, one of the governor's closest friends, said he had not been able to talk to Northam about the yearbook and did not know what to make of it, but said he stood by him.

"He's my friend and I will always stand up for him," said Stuart, who also took exception to claims that Northam had advocated infanticide.

"I do not believe he would ever support any such a thing. I don't see it. I don't believe it," Stuart said.

"He is a doctor who's dedicated his life to taking care of children, and he has helped the children of quite a few members in the General Assembly, on both sides of the aisle. And I do not believe [that Northam] in any way shape or form supports infanticide."

Joan Naidorf, whose husband's yearbook page sits opposite Northam's in the yearbook, said she was surprised the photos are only now just coming out, given Northam's stature in Virginia politics.

"We've often wondered over the last 10 years or so why someone didn't dig this up sooner," said Joan Naidorf, a non-practicing emergency room physician who lives in Alexandria.

When she first saw the photo shortly after the yearbook was published, Naidrorf said, "I thought: `That's awful.' I assumed it was something at a drunken frat party."

Naidorf said she didn't know when or where the photos were taken. Her husband, Tobin, wasn't available Friday. He had met Northam a few times when they worked medical rotations together, but weren't friends, she said.

Like other schools, Eastern Virginia Medical School allowed students to pick their own photos for their yearbook page, Naidorf said. Her husband chose their engagement photo and some other personal pictures. Another student chose a picture of men also in blackface and dressed as woman in what appears to be a variety show routine.

Northam has built his 12-year political career on a clean-cut image as a soft-spoken doctor and Army veteran who headed Honor Council at VMI, a demanding job that required him to pass judgement on fellow students who lied or violated the school's honor code.

First elected to the state Senate from Norfolk in 2007, Northam has had a charmed political career. He was courted by Republicans because of his conservative leanings, and was identified early by then-Gov. Tim Kaine, D, as future governor material because of his experience in both health care and the military. Northam served in the Army for eight years after medical school, treating soldiers wounded in the Gulf War.

Politicos in Richmond reacted in muted disbelief, and many declined to speak on the record as the news first circulated Friday. Northam is not a dynamic public speaker but has a reputation for sterling character that has won the trust of Republicans, who worked with him last year to pass Medicaid expansion after four years of resisting it under previous governor Terry McAuliffe, D.

When he ran for governor in 2017, Northam paid special attention to black churches, often attending two or three every Sunday. His home pastor is African-American. After the racial violence in Charlottesville that summer, Northam was among the quickest Virginia political figures to react, making an emotional plea that all Confederate monuments should come down.

He later walked that back and now says it should be up to localities, but said recently that his personal belief is that such statues are harmful.

Northam, 59, grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the fishing village of Onancock. His father was a judge and his mother was a school teacher. Northam and his brother attended desegregated public high school, where Northam played basketball and baseball.

The origins of blackface date to minstrel shows from the 19th century, when white actors covered themselves in black grease paint to portray African Americans but in a cartoonish, dehumanizing way. The minstrel shows put forth racist notions of African Americans as primitive and inferior.

Last week, Michael Ertel, Florida's secretary of state resigned after the emergence of photos from 2005 of him in blackface, apparently mimicking victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Former NBC journalist Megyn Kelly stirred controversy in October for defending blackface in Halloween costumes. </s> Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam acknowledged Friday that he appears in a photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page that shows a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan robe.The revelation of the photograph prompted some Republicans to call for his resignation. Northam quickly apologized.The Democratic governor confirmed in a statement that he was in the photo wearing a costume "that is clearly racist and offensive." Northam did not say which costume he was wearing."This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service. But I want to be clear, I understand how this decision shakes Virginians' faith in that commitment," he said.Republican state Sen. Bryce Reeves said in a statement that Northam should resign if the reports of the photos are accurate."I hope that this picture is inaccurate and that the Governor brings clarity to this issue. This has no place in Virginia," Reeves said.Former Obama housing secretary Julian Castro, a Texas Democrat who has announced he will run for president in 2020, tweeted that Northam should resign."It doesn't matter if he is a Republican or a Democrat. This behavior was racist and unconscionable," he wrote.If Northam were to resign, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who is African-American, would assume the governor's office.For now, Northam's close allies haven't said anything publicly. Democratic Sen. Jennifer McClellan, a well-known African-American lawmaker from Richmond, just shook her head when approached by a reporter seeking comment.The Virginian-Pilot obtained a copy of the photo Friday from Eastern Virginia Medical School library, which Northam attended. The photo shows two people looking at the camera - one in blackface wearing a hat, bow tie and plaid pants; the other in white Klan robes.The yearbook images were first published by the conservative news outlet Big League Politics. An Associated Press reporter saw the yearbook page and confirmed its authenticity at the medical school.Northam, a folksy pediatric neurologist who is personal friends with many GOP lawmakers, has recently come under fire from Republicans who have accused him of backing infanticide after he said he supported a bill loosening restrictions on late-term abortions.Last week, Florida's secretary of state resigned after photos from a 2005 Halloween party showed him in blackface while dressed as a Hurricane Katrina victim.___Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.---------- </s> RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Democrat who has spoken with Gov. Ralph Northam has told The Associated Press that the governor now does not believe he was in a racist picture in his 1984 medical yearbook and has no immediate plans to resign.

The official was not authorized to speak on the record to detail a private conversation. The official told the AP on Saturday that Northam plans to address the issue with the public in the afternoon.

Northam is calling Virginia Democrats to try and gain support. Nearly his entire political base has called for him to resign.

Northam's 1984 yearbook page shows a picture of a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood next to different pictures of the governor.

After the picture went public Friday, Northam issued a statement saying he was "sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo."

But the Democrat who spoke to Northam said that after further reflection the governor said he has no memory of wearing either of the racist costumes and doesn't believe he is in the picture.

Northam's efforts do not appear to be successful so far. The Virginia Democratic Party issued a statement demanding Northam's immediate resignation.

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, the state House Democratic Caucus and the state Senate Democratic Caucus all called on Northam to resign late Friday, along with several key progressive groups that have been some of the governor's closest political allies.

The yearbook images were first published Friday afternoon by the conservative news outlet Big League Politics. The Virginian-Pilot later obtained a copy from Eastern Virginia Medical School, which Northam attended. The photo shows two people looking at the camera — one in blackface wearing a hat, bow tie and plaid pants; the other in a full Ku Klux Klan robe.

An Associated Press reporter saw the yearbook page and confirmed its authenticity at the medical school.

The president of Eastern Virginia Medical School apologized on behalf of the school for "past transgressions of your trust." In a statement on the school's website , President Richard Homan said the photo "absolutely antithetical" to the school's principles, morals, and values. He said he would convene a meeting of school leadership to address the issue.

Meanwhile, Northam - in his first apology, issued in a written statement Friday - called the costume he wore "clearly racist and offensive," but he didn't say which one he had worn.

He later issued a video statement saying he was "deeply sorry" but still committed to serving the "remainder of my term."

"I accept responsibility for my past actions and I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust," Northam said.

A small number of protesters stood outside the governor's mansion Saturday to demand his resignation.

Northam's departure would mean current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who is only the second African-American to win statewide office in Virginia, would be the next governor. Northam's term was set to end in 2022.

Black lawmakers said they met with Northam Friday evening, and said in a statement they appreciate his service.

"But given what was revealed today, it is clear that he can no longer effectively serve as governor," the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said.

State Sen. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, a close ally of Northam and longtime African-American lawmaker, said she told the governor Saturday that he should have denied he was in the photo immediately after it went public. The delay and his apology raises questions about why he thought it was possible he could have been in the picture.

"That's hard for me to swallow. I don't think I'm being unreasonable. But golly Jesus, he could have said that the minute he saw the picture," Lucas said

Others said there was no question he should step down. Among them: Democratic presidential hopefuls Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren; newly elected Democratic U.S. Reps. Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia; the NAACP and Planned Parenthood.

Northam spent years actively courting the black community in the lead up to his 2017 gubernatorial run, building relationships that helped him win both the primary and the general election. He's a member of a predominantly black church on Virginia's Eastern Shore, where he grew up.

"It's a matter of relationships and trust. That's not something that you build overnight," Northam told the AP during a 2017 campaign stop while describing his relationship with the black community. Northam, a folksy pediatric neurologist who is personal friends with many GOP lawmakers, has recently come under fire from Republicans who have accused him of backing infanticide after he said he supported a bill loosening restrictions on late-term abortions.

Last week, Florida's secretary of state resigned after photos from a 2005 Halloween party showed him in blackface while dressed as a Hurricane Katrina victim.

Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report. </s> By ALAN SUDERMAN, Associated Press

 RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Democrat who has spoken with Gov. Ralph Northam has told The Associated Press that the governor now does not believe he was in a racist picture in his 1984 medical yearbook and has no immediate plans to resign.

 The official was not authorized to speak on the record to detail a private conversation. The official told the AP on Saturday that Northam plans to address the issue with the public in the afternoon.

 Northam is calling Virginia Democrats to try and gain support. Nearly his entire political base has called for him to resign.

 Northam’s 1984 yearbook page shows a picture of a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood next to different pictures of the governor.

 After the picture went public Friday, Northam issued a statement saying he was “sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo.”

 But the Democrat who spoke to Northam said that after further reflection the governor said he has no memory of wearing either of the racist costumes and doesn’t not believe he is in the picture.

 The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, the state House Democratic Caucus and the state Senate Democratic Caucus all called on Northam to resign late Friday, along with several key progressive groups that have been some of the governor’s closest political allies.

 The yearbook images were first published Friday afternoon by the conservative news outlet Big League Politics. The Virginian-Pilot later obtained a copy from Eastern Virginia Medical School, which Northam attended. The photo shows two people looking at the camera — one in blackface wearing a hat, bow tie and plaid pants; the other in a full Ku Klux Klan robe.

 An Associated Press reporter saw the yearbook page and confirmed its authenticity at the medical school.

 In his first apology, issued in a written statement, Northam called the costume he wore “clearly racist and offensive,” but he didn’t say which one he had worn.

 He later issued a video statement saying he was “deeply sorry” but still committed to serving the “remainder of my term.”

 “I accept responsibility for my past actions and I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust,” Northam said.

 A small number of protesters stood outside the governor’s mansion Saturday to demand his resignation.

 Northam’s departure would mean current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who is only the second African-American to win statewide office in Virginia, would be the next governor. Northam’s term was set to end in 2022.

 Black lawmakers said they met with Northam Friday evening, and said in a statement they appreciate his service.

 “But given what was revealed today, it is clear that he can no longer effectively serve as governor,” the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said.

 State Sen. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, a close ally of Northam and longtime African-American lawmaker, said black leaders felt “mortally wounded” by the photo and that he has no option but to resign.

 “He betrayed us,” she told The Associated Press on Saturday.

 Others said there was no question he should step down. Among them: Democratic presidential hopefuls Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren; newly elected Democratic U.S. Reps. Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia; the NAACP and Planned Parenthood.

 Northam spent years actively courting the black community in the lead up to his 2017 gubernatorial run, building relationships that helped him win both the primary and the general election. He’s a member of a predominantly black church on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where he grew up.

 “It’s a matter of relationships and trust. That’s not something that you build overnight,” Northam told the AP during a 2017 campaign stop while describing his relationship with the black community. Northam, a folksy pediatric neurologist who is personal friends with many GOP lawmakers, has recently come under fire from Republicans who have accused him of backing infanticide after he said he supported a bill loosening restrictions on late-term abortions.

 Last week, Florida’s secretary of state resigned after photos from a 2005 Halloween party showed him in blackface while dressed as a Hurricane Katrina victim.

 ___

 Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report. </s> A photograph from what appears to be the 1984 medical school yearbook page of Ralph Northam, now the Democratic governor of Virginia, shows a person dressed as a member of the Ku Klux Klan and another wearing blackface.

Neither person is identified in the black-and-white photograph. But the image appears alongside other photos of Dr. Northam, a future pediatric neurologist who was elected Virginia’s governor in 2017.

“There are more drunks than old doctors in this world so I think I’ll have another beer,” reads the section, which also identified Dr. Northam’s alma mater as Virginia Military Institute and his medical interest as pediatrics.

A spokeswoman for the governor did not respond to a message on Friday. The existence of the photograph was first reported by the website Big League Politics, and Eastern Virginia Medical School provided a copy of the yearbook page on Friday afternoon. </s> RICHMOND, Va. — A photograph of men donning blackface and Ku Klux Klan costumes on Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s yearbook page began circulating the internet Friday afternoon, prompting statements from political figures around the country.

In response to the photo, Richmond mayor Levar Stoney said in a statement, “This is deeply disappointing and offensive. I want to hear what Governor Northam has to say on this.”

The photo, which appears on Northam’s page in an Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook from 1984, also features the accompanying quote: “There are more old drunks than old doctors in this world so I think I’ll have another beer.”

It is unclear if either the person in blackface or the other in the KKK robe is the governor, but it is featured on his yearbook page. </s> Democrats called for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam's immediate resignation after the release of an old yearbook photo in which he appears in either blackface or a Ku Klux Klan costume.

One of the pictures on an Eastern Virginia Medical School's 1984 yearbook page included a man in blackface and a bow tie standing next to another person in a Ku Klux Klan-style robe and hood. The photo, first published by conservative blog Big League Politics, spread across social media channels and prompted an apology from Northam.

"I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now," Northam said in a written statement. "This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service."

"I recognize that it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work."

But despite his apology, Democrats, including candidates in the 2020 US presidential election, have called for his immediate ouster: </s> NEA, VEA call for resignation of Gov. Ralph Northam after racist photos emerge

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) today acknowledged that he appeared in a yearbook photo showing a man dressed in blackface and another person wearing a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood. The photo was one of several listed on Northam’s medical school yearbook page of Eastern Virginia Medical School from the year he graduated in 1984.

The following statement was issued jointly on behalf of NEA President Lily Eskelsen García and VEA President Jim Livingston:

“There is no place for Gov. Ralph Northam’s racist actions. Both the National Education Association and the Virginia Education Association strongly condemn them. This goes beyond political affiliation. We must set a better example for our students. The public must have trust and confidence that their elected officials will fight for them, and that trust has been irreparably damaged. Ralph Northam should resign.”
Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia Ralph Northam says he will not resign from office because he does not believe that he appears in a controversial photograph from his 1984 medical school yearbook showing one person wearing blackface and another person wearing Ku Klux Klan attire. However, Northam later admits to wearing blackface during the same time period for a dance contest, in order to imitate musician Michael Jackson.