The Minutes of Our Last Meeting – Blockface!

A page from the Governor’s 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School Yearbook. It was a simpler, more racist time.

by Joe Janes

McGuireWoods Law Office, Richmond, Virgina

An independent room in the independent investigators’ office

May 22, 2019    7:30am

All attendees are anonymous to retain their independence

Recorded independently

Anon 1 - We have been investigating this photograph in the Eastern Virginia Medical School 1984 Yearbook for four grueling months. What do we know?

Anon 2 - We know that it appeared on the governor’s designated page in his medical school yearbook. 

Anon 3 – All the other pictures on the page are clearly of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam.

Anon 4 – Still, the picture in question has no caption, so it is impossible to tell if the governor is the one in blackface or the one in the KKK costume. 

Anon 2 – Neither of which puts him in a good light, but the KKK outfit could help his re-election campaign. In Virginia. 

Anon 3 – Governor Northham apologized for the photo when it was first discovered by the media.

Anon 4 – Then retracted the apology saying he didn’t remember the photo or if he ever dressed in blackface or as the KKK.

Anon 1 – You’d think he would have said something when the yearbook was published. 

Anon 3 – Unless he was at the same party wearing different blackface or different KKK garb.

Anon 2 – He did remember wearing blackface once for a Michael Jackson dance competition. 

Anon 1 – He also didn’t say he had never worn blackface other than that and does not remember ever wearing a KKK outfit. 

Anon 2 – You think those would be things one could easily recall. 

Anon 1 – Did anyone we speak to in his medical school class recall the governor doing such things?

Anon 3 – No one. They also didn’t remember him dressing like Michael Jackson. 

Anon 2 – Why would someone need to darken their skin to look like Michael Jackson?

Anon 4 – This was 1984. Michael Jackson was still mostly black then.

Anon 1 – Well, after three months of thorough, detailed investigation, I think we can only come to one conclusion. 

Anon 4 - The governor is lying.

Everyone Else – We don’t know!

Anon 2 – We still get paid, right?

Anon 1 – The Eastern Virginia Medical School will still pay us. With a bonus. To independence!

All – To independence!

With a mug like this, blackface would be an improvement.