He said his memory of that is vivid, and that’s why he doesn’t think he is in the yearbook photo.

“I have made my mistakes in the past,” Northam said.

Northam says resigning would be an easy path but he took an oath to serve to the best of his ability and believes he can continue. He says this moment can be a small step to a discussion.

Northam says he knows people will not immediately believe his account of events but wants an opportunity to show that the person he was is not the man he is today.

“I am far from perfect and I can always strive to do more,” he said.

Northam said he submitted three of the four photos in the yearbook, but does not know where the photo of a man in blackface and one in KKK garb came from.

"I'm telling the truth today," he said, "that was not my picture."

"I was not in that picture," he said, "... either as blackface or KKK."

Northam was asked why he apologized Friday night if he's not in the picture: "I saw this last night, it was horrifying to me ... I just felt it important to reach out and let people know I was sorry this picture ... was on a page with my name on it."