In the early 1990s, Magnificent Seven artist Rick Lowe was introduced to a run-down block in the Third Ward of Houston, Texas, where 22 “shotgun” row houses were marked for demolition. These kinds of homes had been celebrated by artist John Biggers, who saw them as an important part of African American architectural history, and by “social sculptor” Joseph Beuys.

Lowe’s collective bought the homes, and the community rebuilt them. Knutson’s accessible work has several benefits: it looks at a positive side of social labor, discusses lesser-known artists, and provides detail on African American community life in Houston and brief facts on Black history more generally. Well-chosen photos illustrate the text, and a closing activity adds value to this worthwhile entry in the 21st Century Skills Library: Changing Spaces series (8 titles).