a library of technology resources
Welcome Mrs. Upton's African American Studies Class!
Use this page to help you find sources for your current project!
Here are the resources from your library visit:
Click here for the handout used in class to learn about reliability and validity.
Tip: Remember, when using Google, you can type in your topic (use Boolean terms), and then "primary sources" (in the quotes).
Click here for notes on how to use Google to get results!
Here are some sites that might
help you with your research!
The African American Experience has the widest depth and breadth of information available of any online database collection on African American history and culture. With focus on the life of African Americans from as early as 500 AD and resources from speeches, biographies, letters, articles, and court documents, this resource is filled with primary sources.
The Smithsonian, originally organized as the "United States National Museum," the Smithsonian is administered by the US Govt. Termed "the nation's attic" for its eclectic holdings of 138 million items; the Black History Teaching Resources has a variety of materials with different themes and a focus on different notable African American men & women throughout histrory. Users of the cite are encouraged to copy and use the information for their educational purposes as long as they cite their work!
The National Archives hosts over two million digitized historical documents, photographs, and images; it is curated by the US govt. with primary sources of items such as geneological information, legislative archives, federal records, transcripts, presidential libraries, military records, and online exhibits.
The Library of Congress houses 35 primary source sets of collections that include documents, photographs, letters, sheet music, maps, interviews, memoirs, sound recordings, drawings, diaries, posters, newspapers, cartoons and more. Collections are varied.
American Rhetoric is an incredible speech bank with the most popular speeches in American history. It is a great way to use primary sources because many times you get to see or hear the speech when it was originally given. Most of the speeches also include written transcripts. There are also links to other useful primary sources, including news sources, political party home pages, even pop culture. It's definitely worth checking into!
Bartleby's is largely a collection of literature, so if you're studying an author, it's a great collection of their writings and the entire King James Bible (great resources for religious research).
Biography captures the most gripping, surprising and fascinating stories about famous people. The last fateful day. The decision that changed everything. The moment of cheating death. The biggest break. The defining opportunity. The most shattering failure. The unexpected connection. With over 7,000 biographies and daily features that highlight newsworthy, compelling and surprising points-of-view, we are the digital source for true stories about people that matter. *NOTE: This site may contain bias. It is included because it can offer interesting perspectives on real life.
The Tennessee State Library Archives is a place where you can find info on ANY state. It's all in one place; it breaks down state offices, legislative, executive, and judicial branches, boards and commissions, plus county and city authorities. This directory can lead you to places where you will find reliable statistics and current information about out communities around the country.
State and Local Government on the Net is a place where you can find info on ANY state. It's all in one place; it breaks down state offices, legislative, executive, and judicial branches, boards and commissions, plus county and city authorities. This directory can lead you to places where you will find reliable statistics and current information about out communities around the country.
The U.S. Census Bureau offers so much! You can find out where the most babies are being born, where the most construction is happening, how many people died in your state last year, what's the current status on marriage and divorce, how many veterans are there, and more. There is relevant information for potential business owners, people thinking of relocating to new areas, those looking for jobs, and more. This statistical playground is a minefield of evidence for any well-supported research!
The Bureau of Labor Statistics not only provides students with statistical information on current job market trends in the US but includes articles on such topics as well. Not only can teachers use this real-world information for current, relevant lessons, but students can use it for their own career planning. There are articles on healthcare, retirement, minimum wage, workplace education and more. Students can even learn about how the U.S. compares to contries around the globe.
The National Black Chamber of Commerce is a place where researchers can find out about new and thriving black-owned businesses in America today. Readers will learn about challenges and victories in the business world for black entreprenuers, find out about legal happenings addressing the black business professional, read congressional testimonials, and more. It requires some exploring, but it does have a search bar for quicker results.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is an organization that works for the equal rights of all persons and provides leadership in the following areas: civic engagement, environmental & climate justice, federal advocacy, health, economic opportunity, and criminal justice. This site provides the background of this organization as well as all the current issues for which they are working.
Comprehensive list of all HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) via Wikipedia: Wikipedia is not known to be a trustworthy source for all research, but it's a great starting point. This list will get learners started in researching America's historically black colleges and universities.