Calls for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to resign poured in Friday night after the Democratic lawmaker apologized for appearing in a “racist and offensive” photo from his medical school 1984 yearbook page.

Northam admitted to being one of the people in the controversial photo, which depicted a man dressed in blackface and another in a KKK robe. It was not clear which costume he was wearing.

“Earlier today, a website published a photograph of me from my 1984 medical school yearbook in a costume that is clearly racist and offensive,” Northam said in a statement. “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.”

Fox News obtained a copy of the 1984 yearbook page from the Eastern Virginia Medical School library, the year the governor graduated from the school. The Virginian-Pilot, The Washington Post and the Richmond Times-Dispatch also reported they independently confirmed the authenticity of the page.

Politicians and officials on both sides of the aisle said Northam should step down from his position, including presidential hopefuls Sen. Kamala Harris and Julian Castro.

“Leaders are called to a higher standard, and the stain of racism should have no place in the halls of government,” Harris tweeted. “The Governor of Virginia should step aside so the public can heal and move forward together.”

Castro shared that sentiment, saying Northam’s political affiliation was of no consequence in this situation.

“It doesn’t matter if he is a Republican or a Democrat. This behavior was racist and unconscionable. Governor Northam should resign,” he tweeted.

Northam offered no immediate indication on Friday that he planned to step down.

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White House adviser Kellyanne Conway also tweeted about Northam while referencing the focus Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's high school yearbook received during his confirmation fight last year.

"This should be easier work than parsing every word and semicolon in the Kavanaugh yearbook," she wrote.

GOP Sen. Tim Scott noted Northam’s apology and said while it was “good,” it doesn’t rectify the situation.

“To be clear, while a quick apology is good, it does not excuse the choices made by @GovernorVA as an adult enrolled in medical school,” the South Carolina lawmaker tweeted. “The people of VA will make their voices heard.”

“I hope they will shout far&wide that there are consequences for such showcases of prejudice&hate,” he continued.

NAACP leader Derrick Johnson weighed in on Twitter as well, saying that “Black face in any manner is always racist and never okay.”

“No matter the party affiliation, we can not stand for such behavior, which is why the @NAACP is calling for the resignation of Virginia Governor @RalphNortham,” he tweeted.

California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu also called for Northam to step down, tweeting that there was "no excuse for the shockingly racist picture."

Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C. firmly tweeted that "Governor Northam needs to step aside."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the New York Democrat who has also joined the list of 2020 White House contenders, reacted to the yearbook photo while campaigning in New Hampshire, calling it "very disturbing" and "very racist."

Fox News' Alex Pappas and Paul Steinhauser 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. (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>(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam apologized on Friday for a photograph on his 1984 medical school yearbook page showing two people at a party in racist garb, one smiling and in blackface and standing next to someone in a Ku Klux Klan costume.

Northam, a Democrat, in his statement of apology indicated that he was one of the people in the photo, but did not state which one. His spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

There was swift reaction condemning Northam, with some people calling for him to resign, including two recently announced Democratic candidates for president, Senator Kamala Harris and Julian Castro.

“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 his 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. But I want to be clear, I understand how this decision shakes Virginians’ faith in that commitment.”

The Virginia-Pilot on its website said it obtained a copy of the photo from the Eastern Virginia Medical School library.

Northam said it would take time and effort to heal the damage.

“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.”

Harris, a first-term senator who is the daughter of a black father from Jamaica and an Indian mother, said on Twitter that Northam should resign. “Leaders are called to a higher standard, and the stain of racism should have no place in the halls of government,” she said.

Castro, a former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and the grandson of a Mexican immigrant, said in a tweet that Northam’s “behavior was racist and unconscionable.”

Derrick Johnson, chief executive of the NAACP, said on Twitter that “Black face in any manner is always racist and never okay,” saying that was why the NAACP was calling on Northam to resign.

Northam, a pediatric neurologist, graduated from Norfolk medical school in 1984 and did his undergraduate work at Virginia Military Institute.

The statement capped a tough week for the governor after Republicans accused him of advocating infanticide in response to comments Northam made defending a bill that would have lifted restrictions on later-term abortions.

Northam, 59 and an Army veteran, was elected Virginia governor in 2017 after spending the previous decade in Virginia’s state legislature as a senator.

The origins of blackface date back to 19th century minstrel shows, when white actors covered themselves in black grease paint that caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves.</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>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>President Trump condemned Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Saturday amid the controversy surrounding a racist photo on his medical school yearbook page, as well as comments he's made about a late-term abortion bill.

“Democrat Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia just stated, ‘I believe that I am not either of the people in that photo.’” Trump tweeted. “This was 24 hours after apologizing for appearing in the picture and after making the most horrible statement on ‘super’ late term abortion. Unforgivable!”

Earlier Saturday, Northam said during a news conference that he was not in the 1984 yearbook photo that depicted a man dressed in blackface and another in a KKK outfit. His remarks conflicted with those he'd made a day earlier, when he apologized for appearing in the picture.

However, he did concede Saturday that he had “darkened" his face for another event that same year, when he claims to have dressed as singer Michael Jackson for a talent contest.

VIRGINIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CONDEMNS RACIST PHOTO IN RALPH NORTHAM’S YEARBOOK: ‘I CANNOT CONDONE THE ACTIONS FROM HIS PAST’

The president also appeared to make reference to Northam’s comments earlier this week about a controversial abortion bill that one sponsor said could allow women to terminate a pregnancy up until the moment before birth.

When questioned about those comments, Northam, a former pediatric neurologist, said that third-trimester abortions are performed with “the consent of obviously the mother, with consent of the physician, multiple physicians by the way, and it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities or there may be a fetus that’s not viable.”

“So in this particular example if a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen, the infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

Some conservative commentators and lawmakers interpreted the remarks by Northam to mean he was discussing the possibility of allowing a newborn to die -- or even killing it outright.

RALPH NORTHAM YEARBOOK PHOTO BACKLASH: 3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRGINIA GOVERNOR

Northam’s office pushed back, saying his comments were limited to actions physicians might take in the case of “tragic or difficult circumstances” such as a non-viable pregnancy or “severe fetal abnormalities.”

Trump, in a followup tweet on Saturday, mentioned Ed Gillespie, who unsuccessfully ran against Northam in the midterm elections. The president suggested that had Gillespie’s team discovered "that terrible picture before the election," the Republican would’ve bested Northam by a wide margin.

“Ed Gillespie, who ran for Governor of the Great State of Virginia against Ralph Northam, must now be thinking Malpractice and Dereliction of Duty with regard to his Opposition Research Staff,” Trump tweeted. “If they find that terrible picture before the election, he wins by 20 points!”

After the yearbook photo surfaced on Friday, calls for Northam to resign poured in from lawmakers and officials, including several prominent Democratic candidates for the presidency.

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Also among them were Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, as well as Rep. Bobby Scott – Democratic Virginia lawmakers – who on Saturday released a joint statement calling on the beleaguered governor to “step down and allow the Commonwealth to begin healing.”

“After we watched his press conference today, we called Governor Northam to tell him that we no longer believe he can effectively serve as Governor of Virginia and that he must resign,” the statement said. “Governor Northam has served the people of the Commonwealth faithfully for many years, but the events of the past 24 hours have inflicted immense pain and irrevocably broken the trust Virginians must have in their leaders.”

Fox News’ Adam Shaw, Alex Pappas, Mike Emanuel and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.</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>Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax reacted Saturday to the controversial photo that appeared on Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook page, which showed a man dressed in blackface and another in a KKK hood and robe, saying the imagine had “shocked and saddened” him.

While Fairfax did not explicitly call for the Northam’s resignation — several other lawmakers, including multiple 2020 presidential candidates, have done so since the photo emerged — he said he couldn’t “condone the actions from his past.” He also said Northam had personally reached out to him to express regret.

The yearbook image is “an example of a painful scourge that continues to haunt us today and holds us back from the progress we need to make,” Fairfax, whose great-great-great grandfather was a slave in Virginia, said in a statement posted on Twitter.

“As we commemorate 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were brought to Virginia, it is painful to experience such a searing reminder of the modern legacy of our nation’s original sin,” he continued. “And, as someone whose great-great-great grandfather was enslaved in Virginia, this episode strikes particularly close to home.”

The embattled Democratic governor during a news conference Saturday said he was not in the racist photo, despite apologizing for appearing in the photo a day earlier. However, he did acknowledge darkening his face for another occasion that same year, when he dressed as singer Michael Jackson as part of a talent contest.

“When I was confronted with the image, I was appalled that it appeared on my page, but I believed then and I believe now that I am not either of the people in that photograph,” he told reporters at the governor’s mansion.

RALPH NORTHAM YEARBOOK PHOTO BACKLASH: 3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRGINIA GOVERNOR

He apologized for the picture appearing on his page, calling the image “offensive” and “racist,” but said that he had nothing to do with the preparation of the yearbook, and that he did not purchase it.

In regard to his “Michael Jackson costume,” Northam said he regrets “that I did not understand the harmful legacy of an action like that.”

The photo was first published by Big League Politics on Friday and led to numerous officials calling on him to resign. The governor on Saturday continued to say that he would not step down from his post amid the controversy.

Fairfax on Saturday wrote that he was pleased Northam apologized, adding that the governor, with whom he has long worked with, contacted him “to express his sincere regrets and to apologize.”

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“While his career has been marked by service to children, soldiers, and constituents, I cannot condone the actions from his past that, at the very least, suggest a comfort with Virginia’s darker history of white supremacy, racial stereotyping, and intimidation,” Fairfax said of the governor.

He added that Virginia and the country needed “leaders with the ability to unite and help us rise to the better angels of our nature.”

Fox News’ Adam Shaw, Alex Pappas and Alexandra Pamias contributed to this report.</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.
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.