Thomasville (N.C.), 1938-1939 (Reel 1)

This film is part of a series of films taken by H. Lee Waters titled Movies of Local People. The series captures residents of small towns across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia between 1936 and 1942.

00:00:46--Woman carrying baby, women in fur coats walking down street, boys carrying schoolbooks in front of Peace's Resataurant, women walking by drug store, “General Finance Co. Loans” sign
00:01:03--Young African American boy walking alone, groups of men and women on street, man walking in coat in front of Taxi stand, African American man in hat staring at cameraman, women walking in front of sign for “U.S. Highway 311 Detour through High Point, NC,” men and women crossing street in high wind,
00:01:25--Close up of boy in winter hat, man on bicycle with electric bus in background, women walking down street, woman and child in automobile, African American woman with white child, numerous men and women walking in front of “Peace's Restaurant” down windy street
00:02:37--Tall African American man walking in front of “Peace's Restaurant”, procession of women, men, and children walking down sidewalk in front of same, men laughing and joking with police officer
00:02:57--Close of shots of boys in winter hats smiling and posing for camera, woman inside automobile, older African American man in hat smiling at camera, three young men acting up for camera, jumping off stairs
00:03:34--Men exiting unnamed building, three young men from previous shots handing out leaflets or pamphlets
00:05:43--African American men exit building then some white women followed by more African American men
00:06:47--Man emerges from building carrying a shotgun, speaking to another man, other men exit building
00:07:07--Man carrying bag walking with child in front of “The Carolina” theater and an “Esso” service station, men talking with Economy Auto Sales in background, school boys on sidewalk
00:07:20--Couple walking in front of department store, three older men talking in front of “Peace's Restaurant,” man yawning, man with son smiling at camera,
00:07:33--Time lapse shot of people walking along sidewalk, time lapse (reverse) shot of people crossing street,
00:07:59--Close shot of two boys, close shot of young African American boy in hood, close shots of other boys and men, smiling and laughing
00:08:30--Slow-motion shot of police officer and another man crossing a street, normal speed shot of women crossing street, close up shots of men and boys on street, women walking as a group, African American woman and children, and African American boys smiling
00:09:27--Two African American men standing outside “Thompson Grocery Co.”, grocer standing outside store, shots of individuals and groups on sidewalk and street
00:10:15--Motorcyclist with goggles and rain gear driving on street, boys eating from white paper bags, man peeling apple, quick shots of boys and other pedestrians, man smoking cigar, close shots of other passers by
00:10:55--Two girls crossing street in front of “Southern Dairies Ice Cream” sign, women sitting in car, shots of pedestrians
00:11:29--Woman holding infant, man walking with two boys, women carrying groceries, sped up scene of traffic, includes man on motorcycle, African American man with handtruck crossing street, two boys in front of sign for “Stereoptican Lecture”
00:12:21--Sign for “Thomasville Family Laundry”, workers moving bags of laundry, shots of industrial washing machines, African American woman sorting laundry, men sorting laundry
00:14:01--African American woman loading laundry into washing machine, other African American women folding, ironing, and sorting clean clothing, women feeding sheets into large rollers and folding
00:15:14--Man running industrial washer, African American woman running large laundry press, shot of men with Thomasville Family Laundry delivery vehicles, sign for Dry Cleaning Cash and Carry 50c
00:15:44--Out of focus office shot of woman answering phones and taking notes with other men and women in suits beside her
00:16:00--Woman walking down sidewalk, young men walking down sidewalk
00:16:08--Sped up footage taken from moving vehicle beginning in front of “Brown Match Maker Jewelry” store sign, and continuing down numerous streets through town of Thomasville.