By Staff
May 5, 2004
As the nation reflects on the Supreme Court's 1954 ruling against "separate, but equal," a new book of photographs reveals the realities of segregated life for urban blacks in the South.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he photographed this relatively prosperous black community recording the daily lives of men and women who built schools, churches and hospitals that served their segregated society.
His photographs, ranging from family gatherings to nightclub musicians, have strong political overtones. They also make you think about segregation.
In an accompanying essay, writer Clifton Taulbert guides the reader through the photographs by recalling his own memories of Greenville. 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 a community of prosperous, optimistic black Southerners who considered themselves first-class Americans despite living in a deeply segregated world.
Anderson studied photography on the GI Bill of Rights and ran Anderson Photo Service. A lifelong activist for social change, he recorded every aspect of life in Greenville until his death in 1998.
Taulbert is the author of eight books, including "Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored."
Book: "Separate, But Equal"
Publisher: Public Affairs Books
How to order: Available in stores or at
www.publicaffairsbooks.com
Cost: $16.95
If you're a local author and would like your book
featured in this column, send book and background
information to Penny Randall, The Meridian Star, P.O. Box 1591, Meridian, MS 39302; call (601) 693-1551; or e-mail: prandall@themeridianstar.com.