Between 1962 and 1973, the Richmond Police Department–including Detective Dalton Rotruck "Ricky" Duling (1926-2010) who originally compiled the materials–surveilled metropolitan Richmond and Washington, D.C. residents and groups via photography and film. The collection holds a total of 156 films and 13 audio reels, with the average film reel containing 2-3 minutes of footage. Currently, 112 film reels are available in the digital collection. In 2024, VCU Libraries received a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Recordings at Risk grant to digitize these film reels and create a digital collection to make these materials available to the public.
This collection contains unprecedented footage of protests and pickets in Richmond, with the majority of films being in color and filmed from the street level, often embedded with demonstrators. Among noteworthy subjects and events captured are local meetings of the Black Panther Party, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign of 1968, marches and memorial activities following MLK’s assassination, student protests from Richmond Professional Institute (RPI), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Virginia Union University (VUU), and Virginia State College (VSC–now Virginia State University), and anti-war protests. The collection also includes footage of American Nazi Party rallies, Ku Klux Klan parades, and marches against school desegregation busing, providing scholars across disciplines and geographic locations with new opportunities to research aspects of the civil rights struggle in the South.
Not all of the reels held by VCU Libraries are available in the online collection presented below. Given the nature of police surveillance–the surveilling and recording of individuals and groups without any information tying them to criminal activity or charges–there are films in this collection that could bring undue scrutiny and harm to individuals who were never made aware of this surveillance. VCU Libraries has carefully considered each film, choosing to only include films of public activity in public spaces in the online collection, along with some materials where individuals knew they were being recorded by the Richmond Police Department without any legal proceedings involved (police events). The collection does include surveillance of private residences as well as businesses that have not been added to the digital collection. The entire collection is available via Special Collections and Archives at James Branch Cabell Library.
The footage available here is an invaluable resource for research into this period of Richmond history. They present how everyday citizens chose to use their voices for the causes they believed in. The films also often demonstrate how citizens reacted to being surveilled by the Richmond Police Department–with some individuals waving at the cameras, while others displayed negative hand gestures. These public protests also included participation from children, often accompanying a parent, creating an understanding of how civic engagement was practiced intergenerationally. In that vein, some children in the footage hold signs that they may or may not have written themselves, and who may have had their names shared to contemporary newspapers covering the event. Finally, this footage also gives historians an idea of how the RPD viewed dissent and protest, particularly with the amount of effort put towards surveilling peaceful gatherings, many of which were planned and orchestrated by Black Americans, student organizers, and civil rights activists.
Additional research information
The Richmond Police Department surveillance collection is available in the Special Collections and Archives housed in Special Collections and Archives at James Branch Cabell Library. The finding aid is available here.
Additional parts of the collection acquired from Detective Dalton Rotruck Duling are housed at The Valentine in Richmond, Virginia, with a finding aid available here. Many descriptions of materials link to contemporaneous newspapers articles to provide further context–many of these articles are from the Richmond Times-Dispatch archive, which can only be accessed with a VCU login at this time. For access to articles, please email libcompass@vcu.edu.
Copyright
This material is in the public domain in the United States and thus is free of any copyright restriction. Acknowledgment of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Credits
Digitization of these films was conducted by The MediaPreserve in 2024-2025, made possible by a Council on Library & Information Resources (CLIR) Recordings at Risk grant from the Mellon Foundation. Descriptive metadata for all items was created by Digital Initiatives Librarian Irina Rogova, with support from Katie Condon, Margaret Kidd, Staci Ross, Keahi Adolpho, and Amber Jones in 2025. Digital preservation work was completed by Senior Curator for Health Science Margaret Kidd in 2025.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #04, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed in Monroe Park on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. Footage of the crowd at the park as well as several speakers are featured. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #05, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed in Monroe Park on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. Footage of the crowd at the park as well as several speakers are featured. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #06, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed in Monroe Park on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. Footage of several speakers is featured.The majority of speakers appear to be Black.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #07, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed in Monroe Park on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher, as well as the demonstrators marching from Monroe Park to Virginia Union University. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #08, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed in on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. Demonstrators march from Monroe Park to Virginia Union University. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia Union University (VUU) Protest in Support of Elliott Hatcher Film Reel #09, 1968 May 5
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage filmed at Monroe Park and Virginia Union University on May 5, 1968, during a protest in support of Elliott Hatcher. It also features footage of students delivering a petition to Kate Gilpin Henderson, wife of VUU President Dr. Henderson. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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RPI's Albatross Spring Arts Festival at Byrd Airport 1968 May 10 ; Richmond Poor People's Campaign Caravan Film Reel #01, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) students at Byrd Airport as part of an arts festival, as well as footage of the Poor People's Campaign Caravan likely driving from Norfolk to Richmond, and the the march gathering in a parking lot. The students at the airport appear to be a group of majority white participants. The crowd at the Poor People's Campaign event appears to be majority Black participants. Most are wearing day clothes, some are dressed in religious wear, and many holding signs.
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the Poor People's Campaign Caravan likely driving from Norfolk to Richmond, as well as the march gathering in a parking lot. Most are wearing day clothes, some are dressed in religious wear, and many holding signs. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #03, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage likely at the Southside parking lot where the Poor People's Campaign march in Richmond began. Several dozen individuals stand in groups in a large open space, talking and moving about. Several individuals in marshal jackets are seen. There is also a stage and some footage of speakers on the stage, likely from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Most are wearing day clothes, some are dressed in religious clothing including clerical collars, and many holding signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #04, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the Poor People's Campaign march in Richmond, likely the portion where they marched north from Southside over the Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge. The footage is shot from above, perhaps an overpass, with wide shots of the crowd. The footage is blurry. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants. There is also a significant uniformed police presence on foot, on horseback, and on motorcycles.
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #05, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the Poor People's Campaign Caravan crossing over the Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge in Richmond, likely filmed from the Virginia War Memorial. Most are wearing day clothes, some are dressed in religious wear, and many holding signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants, with uniformed police officers appearing to be majority white.
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #06, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the Poor People's Campaign Caravan driving through Richmond, Virginia. It also contains footage of individuals in the campaign outside of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education on Brook Road. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Poor People's Campaign Caravan in Richmond Film Reel #07, 1968 May 18
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage likely filmed by the Richmond Police Department of the Poor People's Campaign in Richmond, Virginia. It contains footage of individuals in the campaign walking north on Lombardy Street, the majority of the participants appear to be Black. There is also footage of individuals and groups driving cars and trucks in what appears to be Richmond. This footage features motorists in costume, potentially students from the Richmond Professional Institute (RPI), the majority of whom appear to be white. It is possible this is a different event, though a second event is not mentioned on the reel.
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Be-In at Monroe Park Film Reel, 1969 April
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of a crowd of individuals at an event labeled as a "Be-In" on the reel in Monroe Park, likely on April 27, 1969. Individuals sit on the grass, listen to a band playing in front of the Checkers House. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Monroe Park to Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #01, 1969 April 4
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the April 4, 1969 Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia. In this reel, individuals gather in Monroe Park preparing to march in the rain, and then march down what appears to be Broad Street. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Monroe Park to Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #02, 1969 April 4
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the April 4, 1969 Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia. In this reel, individuals leave Monroe Park marching in the rain, and then march down what appears to be Broad Street.
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Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Monroe Park to Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #03, 1969 April 4
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the April 4, 1969 Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia. In this reel, individuals gather in Monroe Park preparing to march in the rain, and then march down what appears to be Broad Street.
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Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Monroe Park to Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #04, 1969 April 4
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the April 4, 1969 Memorial March for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia. In this reel, marchers gather at the steps of the Virginia State Capitol, with some speakers gathering under the portico. Then the crowd disperses. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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National Welfare Rights Organization March and Rally in Richmond Film Reel #01, 1969 June 30
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage from the June 30, 1969 Solidarity Day march and rally in support of increased welfare benefits. Footage of individuals gathering at the Safety, Health and Welfare Building, marching to the Virginia State Capitol, and individuals preparing for speeches at the capitol. The Richmond Times-Dispatch noted that the majority of participants were Black women.
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National Welfare Rights Organization March and Rally in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1969 June 30
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage from the June 30, 1969 Solidarity Day march and rally in support of increased welfare benefits. Footage of individuals gathering at the Virginia State Capitol, including multiple individuals speaking into a microphone. Although the Richmond Times-Dispatch noted that the majority of participants were Black women, this appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Hurricane Camille Flood Aftermath in Richmond Film Reel #01, 1969 August 22
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of flooded areas on the north side of the Mayo Bridge at 14th Street and Dock Street, as well as footage on Main Street at 15th Street.
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Hurricane Camille Flood Aftermath in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1969 August 22
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the James River after Hurricane Camille, filmed from the Boulevard Bridge and perhaps the Mayo Bridge.
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Hurricane Camille Flood Aftermath in Richmond Film Reel #03, 1969 August 22
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the James River after Hurricane Camille, filmed from the Robert E. Lee Bridge. There is also footage of Hull Street near the Mayo Bridge.
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Black Panther Party and Young Patriot Press Conference in Monroe Park Film Reel, 1969 September 16
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of a press conference in Monroe Park on September 16, 1969. Speaking at the press conference were Bob Lee, field secretary of the Black Panther Party of Illinois, and Bill Fesperman, field secretary of the Young Patriots Organization. The reel contains footage of individuals gathering in Monroe Park, as well as footage of Lee and Fesperman near the fountain with a journalist, and individuals watching the press conference. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Prison Protest, undated ; Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #01, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of protestors at what appears to be Virginia State Penitentiary and the Virginia State Capitol grounds, picketing for prison reform. The dates of these events are unknown. The group at the penitentiary appears to be majority white participants, while those at the capitol appear to be a group of racially diverse participants. The final clips are of individuals gathering in Monroe Park as part of Moratorium Day held on October 15, 1969. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park on October 15, 1969 for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. Individuals gathered for discussion groups, and later on sit and stand while listening to a speaker on a stage in the park. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #03, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park on October 15, 1969 for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. Individuals are seen gathered in the park near the Checkers House. Footage includes several speakers on a stage in the park, demonstrators leaving Monroe Park, and speakers at the Virginia State Capitol Building. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #04, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park on October 15, 1969 for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. Footage includes several speakers on a stage in the park, speakers at the Virginia State Capitol Building, and the crowd of demonstrators gathering on the capitol grounds. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #05, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park on October 15, 1969 for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. Footage includes several at the Virginia State Capitol Building, the crowd of demonstrators on the capitol grounds, the crowd dispersing from the grounds, a smaller demonstration at Richmond City Hall, the crowd walking down Broad Street, and a small gathering at Monroe Park. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Moratorium Day in Richmond Film Reel #06, 1969 October 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park on October 15, 1969 for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. Footage includes a short clip at the Virginia State Capitol Building, a smaller demonstration at Richmond City Hall and the police dispersal of it, and the crowd walking down Broad Street. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #01, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of marchers leaving Monroe Park and walking in pairs east on Franklin Street. They wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #02, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of marchers leaving Monroe Park and walking in pairs east on Franklin Street. They wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #03, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of marchers leaving Monroe Park and walking in pairs east on Franklin Street. They wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #04, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of marchers leaving Monroe Park and walking in pairs east on Franklin Street. They wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #05, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of protestors marching around the Virginia State Capitol, as well as a smaller group entering the Capitol grounds and building. Marchers wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Virginia State College (VSC) Student Protest at the Virginia State Capitol Film Reel #06, 1969 December 17
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of students, faculty, and supporters protesting changes to Virginia State College in Richmond, Virginia. Footage of Governor Mills E. Godwin Jr. speaking to an individual, likely a journalist. It also features a smaller group of marchers entering the Virginia State Capitol grounds and marching in a picket. Marchers wear winter coats and jackets, buttons, and hold signs. It ends with marchers boarding buses on 9th Street. This appears to be a group of majority Black participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #01, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the gathering of individuals who will participate in a daytime picket at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station at 11th and Main Streets. Most footage follows individuals and groups arriving for the picket, walking back and forth in front of the building. Some building workers are seen--potentially security guards and others. The footage is filmed from across the street and above. Towards the end of the video, the individuals preparing the picket notice the camera and gesture toward it. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the daytime picket at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station at 11th and Main Streets. Most footage is of the picket, showing individuals walking in a large oval on the sidewalk. Some building workers are seen--potentially security guards and others. The footage is filmed from across the street and above. At one point, one of the picketers is detained by a uniformed individual, likely a police officer, and led away. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #03, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the daytime picket at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station at 11th and Main Streets. Most footage is of the picket, showing individuals walking in a large oval on the sidewalk. Some building workers are seen--potentially security guards and others. The footage is filmed from the street and steps of the station. At one point, one of the picketers is detained by a uniformed individual, likely a police officer, and led away. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #04, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the daytime picket at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station at 11th and Main Streets. Most footage is of the picket, showing individuals walking in a large oval on the sidewalk. Some building workers are seen--potentially security guards and others. The footage is filmed from across the street and above. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #05, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of the daytime picket at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station at 11th and Main Streets. Most footage is of the picket, showing individuals walking in a large oval on the sidewalk. Some building workers are seen--potentially security guards and others. The footage is filmed from across the street and above. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #06, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of approximately 150 individuals gathering for a march from Monroe Park to the Federal Building at 8th and Marshall Streets. Individuals and their signs are visible, then the march begins. The second half of the reel is of individuals from the protest leaving the Federal Building after a sit-in. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #07, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of several dozen individuals marching to the Federal Building at 8th and Marshall Streets. Individuals and their signs are visible. The last part of the reel shows individuals from the protest leaving the Federal Building after a sit-in.This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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Anti-Draft Protest in Richmond Film Reel #08, 1970 March 19
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of several dozen individuals leaving the Federal Building after a sit-in. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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National Priorities Day Protest in Richmond Film Reel #01, 1970 April 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of a crowd of several dozen individuals gathered at the Checkers House in Monroe Park as part of the National Priorities Day event held on April 15, 1970. Several speakers are featured including Jim Elam, Arthur Waskow, David Hawk, and Loretta Johnson. It appears to be raining, with many individuals wearing rain coats and/or carrying umbrellas. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
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National Priorities Day Protest in Richmond Film Reel #02, 1970 April 15
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of a crowd of approximately 100 individuals marching from Monroe Park east on Franklin Street, then arriving at a building at 501 N 9th Street and placing a cardboard coffin at the building's entrance. This was part of the National Priorities Day event held on April 15, 1970. This appears to be a group of racially diverse participants.
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Black Panther Party Meeting at Monroe Park Film Reel #01, 1970 April 30
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park for what was advertised as a Black Panther Party press conference on April 30, 1970. There is footage filmed in the park, and footage of individuals outside of Rhoads Hall on Franklin Street. Individuals in the park stand in the shade and it is difficult to distinguish details.
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Black Panther Party Meeting at Monroe Park Film Reel #02, 1970 April 30 ; William and Mary Students Protest at Richmond Injunction Center Film Reel, 1970 May 11
Richmond (Va.). Police Department
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered in Monroe Park for what was advertised as a Black Panther Party press conference on April 30, 1970. Individuals in the park stand in the shade and it is difficult to distinguish details. There is also footage of College of William & Mary students picketing the draft at the Richmond Parcel Post Building at 1102 E. Main St., which also served as the induction center during the Vietnam War, on May 11, 1970. The William and Mary students appear to be a group of majority white participants.