Research Guides: Africana Studies 323: Home

Need help? You can ask!

Other ways to get help:

Email us

Call us at 413-597-4500

Text us at 413-648-6071

Stop by during our service hours.

Use the following sources to get historical context and background information on your topic.

General Resources

Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Contains encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Good place to search for background information on a topic.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Contains the full text of dictionaries, encyclopedias, and companions published by Oxford University Press. A good place to start a research project.

American History

Dictionary of American History
A standard reference work in United States history. Covers prehistory to 2002. Also available in print (SAWYER REFERENCE E174 .D52 2003).

African American History

Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History
Covers all aspects of the African American experience from 1619 to the present day in the U.S. and throughout the Western hemisphere. Articles are signed by experts in the field and are accompanied by a selected bibliography. The appendix contains statistical data and a selection of primary source documents.