UBVI and H{alpha} photometry is presented for 17319 stars in vicinity of the young double cluster h and {chi} Persei. Our photometry extends over a 37'x1{deg} field centered on the association. We construct reddening contours within the imaged field. We find that the two clusters share a common distance modulus of 11.75+/-0.05 and ages of log[age(yr)]=7.1+/-0.1. From the V-H{alpha} color, a measure of the H{alpha} emission strength, we conduct a survey for emission line objects within the association. We detect a sample of 33 Be stars, eight of which are new detections. We present a scenario of evolutionary enhancement of the Be phenomenon to account for the peak in Be fraction toward the top of the main sequence in the population of h and {chi} Persei and similar young clusters. UBVI and H{alpha} photometry was performed on five nights between 1999 August 17 and 25 at the San Diego State University Mount Laguna Observatory with the 1m telescope and a Loral 2048x2048 CCD.