In the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, Minneapolis resident Walter R. Scott produced a series of books profiling the African American community of the Twin Cities. The people and stories presented in the three original volumes--Centennial Edition of the Minneapolis Beacon (1956), Minneapolis Negro Profile (1968), and Minnesota's Black Community (1976)--reflect a vibrant community of businesspeople, artists, educators, athletes, and other public figures while providing an intimate look at everyday life in black homes, schools, neighborhoods, and businesses.

The Scott Collection brings back into print these fascinating documents of African American life and history in the Twin Cities. The original photos and profiles are supplemented with introductory essays that put Scott's work into context and shed light on what the images and descriptions from the time reveal about Minnesota's diverse populations then and now. The collection offers a "pictorial resume of the black community, its achievements, and its goals" and a fascinating window into particular moments in time.