Documents and Photographs

 
 
These are the minutes of the first meeting of the Inter-racial Committee, Norfolk Council of Boy Scouts of 
America 

 
 
This is a copy of the second meetings minutes

 
 
This is a photograph of the dedication of a plaque in 1940 commemorating the beginning of black scout troops in Tidewater. The man up front is Dr. Winston Douglas principal of Booker T. Washington High School and prior chairman of the local scouting district #7. The plaque was attached to the side of the Metropolitan Bank Building until it was torn down in 1967. Today the plaque is at the same corner where the building used to stand Church Street and Brambleton Avenue. 

 
This is a photograph of the Metropolitan Bank Building as it appeared in 1965, the Birthplace of Boy Scouts of America for Black boys of Tidewater, Virginia 

 
This is a photograph of Mr. James E. Fulford longtime field commissioner of district 7. Mr. Fulford is holding a statue that he received in 1935 from the Inter-racial Committee, Norfolk Council Boy Scouts of America for his outstanding service. Mr. Fulford was the first black man in Tidewater to receive the prestigous Silver Beaver award. 

 
This photograph from 1937 shows the members of the district-committee of District 7. They are, left to right, first row- G.L. Taylor, Rev B.B. Evans, Rev. B.W. Harris, chairman; George Taylor and J.E. Fulford, field commissioner; second row- M.F. Gibson, J.J. Parker and P.J. Chesson. 

 
This photograph from 1953 shows Rev. Harvey N. Johnson receiving his Silver Beaver award. Rev. Johnson was responsible for starting two scout troops in Tidewater. Troop 72 at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Norfolk and Troop 82 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Portsmouth. In addition to that Rev. Johnson was a noted architect and was responsible for the design of the historic Attucks Theater in Norfolk. 

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