Websites and reference sources from the library are a good place to start to get background information on your topic. Use them to learn more about key events, people, and concepts, and to help you identify keywords for further searching.
To access these resources from off campus, you will need to log in using your Pipeline username and password.
Print books are available in the Luria Library Reference section. Use the call number or ask a librarian for help locating the book.
Black Literature Criticism by
Focuses on writers and works published since 1950. The majority of the authors surveyed are African American, but representative African and Caribbean authors are also included.
Contemporary American Ethnic Poets by
Celebrates the lives and works of 75 significant poets.
Encyclopedia of African-American Literature by
Covers the entire spectrum of the African-American literary tradition, from the 18th-century writings of pioneers such as Olaudah Equiano and Phillis Wheatley, to 20th-century canonic texts, to the finest of today's best-selling authors and rap artists.
Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture by
Contains information on key places, events, and people in African American popular culture. Includes a chronology placing pivotal events in historical context and a list of black radio programs and movies.
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance by
Contains approximately 370 alphabetically arranged entries covering the emergence of new ideas in literature, political thought, civil rights, racial pride, and the arts during New York City's Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s.
Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage by
Offers a wealth of information on both African and African American history, politics, culture, people, and places. Entries describe the rich tapestry woven by Africans, from those who remained on their ancestral continent, to those who were forced to leave their homes, and to the great strides being made by African Americans today.
Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present by
Focusing on the making of African American society from the 1896 "separate but equal" ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson up to the contemporary period, this encyclopedia traces the transition from the Reconstruction Era to the age of Jim Crow, the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, the Brown ruling that overturned Plessy, the Civil Rights Movement, and the ascendant influence of African American culture on the American cultural landscape.
Encyclopedia of the Great Black Migration by
Presents a collection of essays that explore the causes, experiences, and consequences of African American migrations during the twentieth-century.
Who's Who Among African Americans by
Provides biographical and career details on notable African American individuals, including leaders from sports, the arts, business, religion and other fields.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Civil Rights by
Provides alphabetically arranged entries on people and events important to the civil rights struggle, including organizations, books, concepts, court cases, and concepts.
Minorities by
Examines the differences between minority groups and white Americans across the economic, political, and social spectrums. Explores the experience of African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, and other minority groups living in the United States.
Encyclopedia of African and African-American Religions by
Focuses on religion, its place in African and African-American societies, and its impact on society in general. Provides information on religious movements in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Many of these religions such as Santeria and Vodou are products of contact between major world religions (such as Christianity) and indigenous African traditions.
Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America by
Vol. 5: African Diaspora Traditions and Other American Innovations
Depending on your topic, the following websites about African American History and Culture may provide relevant background information.
You can also use Google to search for information on your topic. Use the source evaluation process on the Evaluating Sources page to make sure the sources you choose are credible.
The following video tutorial explores the pros and cons of using Google and Wikipedia for research, and how to transition from Google and Wikipedia to Google Scholar and library databases (from off campus you will need to log in using your Pipeline username and password):
The following tutorial examines how to identify, find, and use background information to help you choose and/or refine your topic (from off campus you will need to log in using your Pipeline username and password):
