A database containing 618 active and star-forming (A/SF) galaxies and 564 normal galaxies in a 120{deg}x6{deg} wide strip crossing the North Galactic Pole was constructed in order to compare the global properties of "active" galaxies against a control sample of "normal" galaxies. This database combines a literature and catalog search with new optical measurements from the Fpg (red) and Jpg (blue) band images of the STScI Digitized Sky Survey (DSS). We provide alternative names, accurate coordinates, morphological type, activity classes, red and blue apparent magnitudes, 2MASS near-infrared J-H and H-K colors, apparent diameters, axial ratios, position angles, and number counts of neighboring objects in a circle of radius 50kpc. We also present an atlas of 103 interacting and merging systems among these galaxies. In this sample, all merging and interacting galaxies are A/SF objects. The near-infrared colors of the sample galaxies are independent parameters and do not correlate with activity level or any other parameter of the galaxies.