African-American History

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AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

A Research Guide

What key words will help me find information about African American History?

Where can I find print resources about African American History?

What are some good online resources about African American History?

SELECTED SOURCES AT PAMUNKEY REGIONAL LIBRARY

This guide tells how to find information in the library about African-American History. If you need assistance, please feel free to ask the Library staff.

1. What key words will help me find information about African American history?

To find books that can be checked out, choose the SUBJECT search in the online catalog, and type (one at a time) these subjects:

You may also want to browse subjects: when in the catalog, choose BROWSE and type in “African Americans”. This will allow you to browse narrower subjects within the larger subject heading. Keep in mind, though, that this will include both fiction and non-fiction works.

2. Where can I find print resources on African American History in the library?

Most of the books will be shelved according to their Dewey Decimal Classification number in the non-fiction collection at:

305.8	[Racial, ethnic, national groups]
323	[Civil & political rights]
973	[United States History]
B	[Biographies]

When you are doing research, make sure that you search in the reference area as well; these books cannot be checked out like the general collection can, but there is a lot of valuable information available. Some reference books you might consider include the following:

R 973 AFR 10TH ED	The African American Almanac	Available at Ashland, Hanover, and Mechanicsville.
R 920 AFR	African American Lives	Available at Ashland, Goochland, King & Queen, and Mechanicsville.
R 920 AFR	The African American National Biography	Available at Ashland.
R 973 CIM	Atlas of African-American History	Available at Ashland, Goochland, and Mechanicsville.
R 973 HOR	Chronology of African American History: From 1492 to the Present	Available at Ashland, Atlee, Mechanicsville, and Montpelier.
R 973 ENC	Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History: The Black Experience in the Americas	Available at Atee, Goochland, and Upper King William.
R 323.1 ENC	The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America	Available at Atlee.
R YA 973 STU	Student Almanac of African American History	Available at Goochland and West Point.

Your library may not have all these titles, but other resources may be available — when in doubt, just ask the Library staff or e-mail ask@pamunkeylibrary.org.

3. What are some good online resources about African American history?

The library offers access to online reference resources related to history. If you are logging in from outside the library, you will need your library card number, which you will find on the back of your library card.

Salem History: Salem History includes the complete content of three series of historical reference - Milestone Documents, The Decades, and Great Lives from History. (Outside of the library? E-mail ask@pamunkeylibrary.org for log in instructions)
US History Collection (in the Library) or from (Work, Home, or School)
This collection provides coverage of the current thinking and events in U.S. History, as well as scholarly work being established in the field.
War & Terrorism Collection (in the Library) or (Work, Home, or School)
Researchers and students of history, social science, and current events will gain insight into conflicts: their causes, their impact, and how they are perceived on a global scale.
World History Collection (in the Library) or (Work, Home, or School)
This collection provides balanced coverage of events in World History for both the novice historian and the advanced academic researcher.