CHARLOTTE- The HB2 debate that's unfolding now in North Carolina will one day be the stuff of history. UNC Charlotte archivists want to make sure it's not forgotten.
At UNC Charlotte's Atkins library, on the tenth floor archivists are collecting materials from the LGBT community in Charlotte.
Archivist Dawn Schmitz said very little LGBT history has been documented.
"It is a community that has often been under valued or in some cases very marginalized," said Schmitz.
Among the items in the collection include hate mail, pictures from the LGBT community in Charlotte, T-shirts, signs, flags and some items going back to the 1970's.
“It's exciting, because the history is wildly understudied," said Joshua Burford Assistant Director Multicultural Resource Center.
Joshua Burford, who collects material, said the project started in 2013 and now phase 2 is underway to include personal oral histories.
"To go along with material we've collected and stories of people who we haven't collected yet, so we'll have a little bit of both,”said Burford.
The collection also comes at a time, when North Carolina is dealing with the controversial HB2 known as the "bathroom bill". The bill blocks cities and local governments from passing anti-discrimination measures.
"It's a part of the overall history of the community,"said Burford.
Now, it will all be documented for future generations.