Emory University in Atlanta says it's forming a commission to review racist photos that appear in past yearbooks.

News outlets report the school announced the commission Wednesday after a review of decades-old yearbooks uncovered portrayals of blackface. The school hasn't identified the people in the photos, including one portraying a theatrical mock lynching.

University President Claire E. Sterk wrote in a letter to students that the photos are available online and are a permanent part of the university's record. She says she hopes the images serve as a reminder of hate that must be passionately opposed.

Sterk says the commission will assess how the school depicted differences in its community through its traditions, publications and communications. She says more details will be released by the end of this semester.