Seperate, But Equal is an extraordinary treasure: Rediscovered photographs that document a virtually ignored and neglected chapter in African-American history -- the proud, dignified community of middle-class blacks that existed throughout the South at the dawn of the civil rights movement.

It is thanks to Henry Clay Anderson, a professional photographer who lived and worked in Greenville, Mississippi, that we have these photos. Anderson established Anderson Photo Service in Greenville in 1948. Throughout the '50s and '60s, he photographed every aspect of his relatively prosperous black community, recording the daily lives of the men and women who built the Greenville schools, churches, and hospitals that served their segregated society. He photographed family gatherings, weddings, funerals, and events at the black high school. He photographed nightclub musicians, itinerant entertainers, and a wide range of professionals at work. His mission had strong political overtones.

The 130 Anderson photographs contained in this book are works of art, but they are also historical documents. In his accompanying essay, writer Clifton L. Taulbert guides us through them, recalling his own memories of Greenville in the '50s and '60s. The book also contains an interview with the late photographer and an essay on the political climate at the time. Together, these materials create a window into a world that has been overlooked in the aftermath of the civil rights movement - the community of black middle-class Southerners who considered themselves first-class Americans despite living in a deeply segregated world.