University of South Carolina apologizes for blackface yearbook photos

COLUMBIA (AP) - The University of South Carolina's president is apologizing after pictures of white students wearing blackface were found in old yearbooks.

USC President Harris Pastides said in a letter Tuesday that the photos were found in the Garnet and Black, which was the school's yearbook from 1898 to 1994. The letter says there are a number of "offensive photos" depicting white students in blackface and other "offensive content."

Pastides says the school "denounces" the photos and mindset they represent.

He says the photos provide another opportunity to learn from "the demons of the past."

The revelations come amid national criticism after a blackface photo on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's yearbook page surfaced.

Pastides says South Carolina wants to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and can thrive.