What's hiding in your yearbook?

There was an uproar last week when we discovered the governor of Virginia had an odd picture in his 1984 medical school yearbook: a caricature of a black man and a KKK member, both seemingly smiling and clueless. Nothing in the photo or its caption explains why the photo was on his page.

The governor was apologetic and remorseful but refused to resign. He still has the support of many of the state’s black population, according to polls, although a significant number are upset. Understandably so. The picture was racist, offensive, discriminatory and in very poor taste. It was 1984 Virginia.

“Clueless” is a pretty apt description of the photo. There are conflicting versions of who is underneath the blackface and the white hat, but I don’t think it really matters. In 1984 Virginia, wearing blackface or KKK garb was, unfortunately, still, well, kinda funny. As offensive as it is, there is no doubt in my mind that Gov. Northam never intended to display racism or to make a derogatory comment toward any minority in that photo. At best, in 1984 Virginia, it was simply insensitive.

I think a little perspective is in order. In junior high, my best friend dressed in blackface at the eighth-grade Halloween band concert. We were allowed to dress up, and my friend, a trumpet player, went as Louis Armstrong. In Two Harbors, we had just two black residents: our classmate David and his father. That was it. I recall being furious at my buddy for his costume, but no one else seemed to mind. He won first place in that contest. Today, my friend is one of the most honorable people I know, without a stitch of prejudice or racism in his body. Even in eighth grade, he was kind and nonjudgmental. I doubt he ever considered his blackface as disrespectful or racist. Clueless. When I reminded him of this blast from his past, he cringed.

Having spent three years a while back living in the northern part of Virginia, I have a much different viewpoint now than I would have had before I lived there. Northern Virginia is filled with diplomats, academics, doctors, government executives, and national organization presidents. In short, it’s an educated, liberal and affluent part of the state. But Virginia is also segregated, at least much more so than I ever imagined.

In Alexandria, Virginia, blacks were segregated from libraries, schools, and swimming pools into the mid-1960s. And then, in response to integration, whites formed subscription libraries, private schools, and “community” pools designed to keep out blacks, institutions and facilities which existed into the 1970s. As late as 1984, housing complexes in Virginia openly discriminated against blacks. It’s not surprising that a young white man, fresh out of medical school, may have still lived in a culture that found amusement in such horrid pictures.

Today, racial discrimination is still a major issue. Significant progress has been made since 1984, but we still have a long way to go. Going back to the norms of the early ’80s would be step backward for our country, and hopefully no one would advocate such a return. But it’s also a little unfair to apply contemporary standards to an action from 1984.

Time doesn’t erase bad intentions. But I hope that anyone who in their youth showed insensitivity, poor judgment, or even clueless racism and discrimination — if confronted today, will be judged appropriately.

Pete Radosevich is the publisher of the Pine Knot News community newspaper and an attorney in Esko who hosts the talk show Harry’s Gang on CAT-7. He can be reached at [email protected].