With the help of our new partner, Davidson County Historical Museum, we are ecstatic to announce that prints and negatives from the photographer and filmmaker Herbert Lee Waters, better known as H. Lee Waters (1902-1997), are now available on DigitalNC. These 137 prints and 83 negatives are from the Lexington, North Carolina studio of Herbert Lee Waters and depict life, labor, and community in Davidson County, North Carolina.

H. Lee Waters rose to acclaim for his film series Movies of Local People (1936-1942), which includes hundreds of short films featuring the communities and towns of North Carolina and neighboring states. Shot largely during the Great Depression, his short films are known for their authentic and raw insight into the rich stories of local communities. His work most notably depicts employment and labor, African American communities, children and education, local architecture and infrastructure, community groups, and everyday scenes. His lasting place in American culture was further honored with the inclusion of his film of Kannapolis, North Carolina from the Movies of Local People series in the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2004.

This latest batch of prints and negatives show the people, industries, and social happenings of Lexington, North Carolina, and Davidson County more broadly. Storefronts, congregations, factories, aerial views of downtown Lexington, school students, trains, and public buildings can all be found in this diverse set of images that capture the spirit of the place Waters lived, worked, and found inspiration. These images will be part of an exciting new DigitalNC exhibit called the Herbert Lee Waters Photograph Collection.

Visitors can browse all new prints and negatives by visiting the Herbert Lee Waters Photograph Collection exhibit, here.

All items from Davidson County Historical Museum can be found on their contributor page, here.

More information about our partner, Davidson County Historical Museum, can be found on their website here. 

Alongside the newest additions of prints and negatives from H. Lee Waters’ Lexington studio, DigitalNC visitors can also browse a selection of films from the Movies of Local People series here.

The short film of Kannapolis, North Carolina can be found, here.