# Virginia gov. yearbook page has Klan and blackface pictures **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 1, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809 "2019-02-01T22:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/1 "2019-02-01T22:05:41Z")
I don’t think this is going to end well for him assuming he had control over the material on the page . > **[The Virginian-Pilot](https://www.pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_67fdd682-2662-11e9-a7d1-c7ed70e09b50.html)** ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/2 "2019-02-01T22:09:46Z")
1984? That would have been offensive in 1954. Jesus, what’s wrong with people? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/3 "2019-02-01T22:13:20Z")
talk is that he is the guy in blackface. He is a Dem. and the Lt. Governor is also a Dem if he were to quit. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/4 "2019-02-01T22:23:30Z")
Man, GOP oppo research is for _shit_. No wonder they have to buy it from Russia! Anyway, Northam’s gotta go, especially if it is him and/or he had editorial control of this page and/or he attended the fucking party. Fuck it. He should just go. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/5 "2019-02-01T22:28:07Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > 1984? That would have been offensive in 1954. Jesus, what’s wrong with people? I know, right? Who wears plaid pants like that? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/6 "2019-02-01T22:34:39Z")
If he’s either person or if he chose the picture he should resign. Crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/7 "2019-02-01T22:37:26Z")
med school says the pictures are legit and the publication was student produced. > **[Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's Yearbook Page Shows Blackface, Klan Outfit](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ralph-northam-yearbook-photo-blackface-kkk-outfit_n_5c54b972e4b08710475367de)** > > Northam's yearbook page appears to feature a deeply racist photo. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/8 "2019-02-01T22:42:23Z")
Well, well, well… So much dumb stuff preserved for eternity. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/9 "2019-02-01T22:45:25Z")
have to wonder if this turned up in a simple google search , if so that does show really bad research before the election by the GOP. Or maybe they just started contacting members of his class to see if anyone had this kind of document. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/10 "2019-02-01T23:00:42Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > have to wonder if this turned up in a simple google search , if so that does show really bad research before the election by the GOP. Or maybe they just started contacting members of his class to see if anyone had this kind of document. Well, it probably wouldn’t have struck the GOP as offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Royal\_Nonesutch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@Royal\_Nonesutch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Royal_Nonesutch)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/11 "2019-02-01T23:19:33Z")
The Good Doctor is probably feeling a mite sick about right now. Hopefully they can “keep him comfortable” while his political career is lovingly, humanely terminated… ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/12 "2019-02-01T23:25:34Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > have to wonder if this turned up in a simple google search , if so that does show really bad research before the election by the GOP. Or maybe they just started contacting members of his class to see if anyone had this kind of document. It doesn’t make the \*Dems \*research look very good either. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/13 "2019-02-01T23:30:47Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > If he’s either person or if he chose the picture he should resign. This was 35 years ago when he was young and in school. I’m not sure it tells us much about the man he is today (but the way he responds to it will)—and _that’s_ what I think should determine whether or not he should resign. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/14 "2019-02-01T23:31:29Z")
State Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw is defending him. To paraphrase, “Hey, it’s not nice to look at people’s pasts. Sure wouldn’t want anyone paying attention to whatever I did as a young adult!” ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/15 "2019-02-01T23:32:11Z")
That guy is having a _BAD_ week. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/16 "2019-02-01T23:38:36Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I don’t think this is going to end well for him assuming he had control over the material on the page . > > [https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article\_67fdd682-2662-11e9-a7d1-c7ed70e09b50.html](https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_67fdd682-2662-11e9-a7d1-c7ed70e09b50.html) Well ho-lee fucking shit. That was my first thought. Second? “The fucking school agreed to put that in the yearbook”?? Anyway, fuck that guy. Sorry he’s a Democrat in Redville, but fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/17 "2019-02-01T23:40:37Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > This was 35 years ago when he was young and in school. I’m not sure it tells us much about the man he is today (but the way he responds to it will)—and _that’s_ what I think should determine whether or not he should resign. Maybe. I’ll try to keep an open mind. But I was in school 35 years ago and would never in a million years have 1) dressed like that and 2) thought it so benign that I would allow a photo like that to be put in a yearbook. People in the 1980s really did have a clue about racism and shit. Or should have. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/18 "2019-02-01T23:56:50Z")
My first reaction was “He was so young and it was so long ago.” My second reaction was “But Kavanaugh…” He should probably resign, and I say this as a hyperpartisan Democrat. While also acknowledging that there would be no possibility of that happening if he were Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/19 "2019-02-02T00:03:15Z")
every Dr. in the yearbook will be contacted by the media if they can be located. They will probably have reporters at their offices 1st thing Monday ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809/20 "2019-02-02T00:04:48Z")
He admitted that he’s one of the people in the photo. Get out please. Jesus Christ. > **[Gov. Ralph Northam admits he was in 1984 yearbook photo showing figures in...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-gov-northams-medical-school-yearbook-page-shows-men-in-blackface-kkk-robe/2019/02/01/517a43ee-265f-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a16387890d80)** > > Northam, a Democrat, apologized as leaders from both sides of the aisle demanded his resignation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virginia-gov-yearbook-page-has-klan-and-blackface-pictures/828809.md?page=2)