This scrapbook, created by Margaret H. Fuller, includes newspaper clippings covering the Civil Rights Movement and racial relations in Davidson County, NC, spanning from 1963 to 2000. The scrapbook was initially used by Margaret’s daughter, Victoria Gaye Fuller, for a 7th-grade North Carolina history project, for which she received an A (see the inside cover and page 1 of the scrapbook for Victoria’s name written inside.) Unbeknownst to Margaret’s family, she kept the scrapbook and added clippings over several decades. Later in life, Margaret’s family discovered the scrapbook and shared it with the Davidson County Historical Museum for digitization.
The scrapbook begins with clippings from local newspaper articles covering the "Race Riot" in Lexington, N.C., a violent event that drew international media attention and led to the formation of the city's first bi-racial committee, the Good Neighbor Council, also referred to as the Human Relations Committee. Upon their first meeting, members of the council recommended immediate desegregation of all public facilities, though it would take years before this was fully implemented by the city and county.
Thanks to the generosity of artifact lenders, the Margaret H. Fuller Scrapbook is now available for digital access through the Davidson County Historical Museum. Further research into the scrapbook and the events covered within the articles continues. If you have information about events covered within the scrapbook and would like to participate in a written or video-recorded Oral History interview, please contact us to learn more.
Content Disclaimer
Primary source documents preserved in this scrapbook contain some content that may be potentially difficult to view. Some of the materials may relate to violent or graphic events. This will include newspaper articles covering murder, criminal investigations and trials, and acts of racial discrimination. Some of the materials presented here may reflect outdated, biased, offensive, and possibly violent views, opinions, and language.
Click on the gallery images below to expand the view. To enlarge further, and for a better reading experience, download the PDF or request it be emailed to you by clicking the buttons above.
Would you like to see more content like this? Click the button below to learn more about the museum’s African American Heritage Project.