On February 1, 2019, a photograph surfaced from Virginia Governor Ralph Northman’s medical school yearbook which has Virginians questioning their decision to vote him in.

The accusations arose due to a photograph printed in his medical school yearbook, which depicted one man wearing blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan costume. The first time the photograph appeared, Northman had stated that he was “deeply sorry for the decision I made” to dress in “a costume that is clearly racist and offensive”.  However, in a press conference held on February 2nd, he said “…I believe then and now, that I am neither of the people in that photo.”

In addition, Northman is now receiving additional backlash after calling slaves who arrived in Virginia in the 17th century “indentured servants” on CBS This Morning on February 10th. Now according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, slaves were “sometimes” treated more like indentured servants, however, that was prior to 1641.

Citizens took to social media to voice their response. Author Julissa Arce tweeted “[Using] Words like ‘Indentured servant’ is how people try to erase the pain and horrors of slavery. It is how they think it harmless to wear blackface…If he won’t resign, he needs to be forced out.” Twitter user Kemah Zinnah also replied, stating “Landed on our shores…smh…he’s got a LOT to learn…it was slavery! Not a cruise.”

According to a poll conducted by the Washington Post, Virginians are split on whether or not Governor Northman should remain in office.