Databases
- 19th Century U.S. Newspapers This link opens in a new windowFull-text content and images from numerous newspapers from a range of urban and rural regions throughout the U.S. The collection encompasses the entire 19th century, with an emphasis on such topics as the American Civil War, African-American culture and history, Western migration and Antebellum-era life, among other subjects.
- Black Freedom Struggle in the 20th Century This link opens in a new windowBrings perspective to the Black Freedom Struggle via the primary source records of major civil rights organizations and personal papers of leaders and observers of the 20th century Black freedom struggle.
- Ethnic NewsWatch (Proquest) This link opens in a new windowInterdisciplinary, bilingual (English and Spanish) full text newspapers, magazines and journals of American ethnic, minority and indigenous communities. Offers additional viewpoints from those proffered by the mainstream press.
- Historical Black Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowA rich collection important to a full understanding of Unites States history. Includes the Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003), Baltimore Afro-American (1893-1988), Chicago Defender (1910-1975),Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005), New York Amsterdam News (1922-1993), and the Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002).
- HistoryMakers Digital Archive This link opens in a new windowThis resource is made available to the Northeastern University community with support from alumni donors.
These video oral history interviews highlight the accomplishments of individual African Americans and African-American-led groups and movements. A resource for students and scholars exploring African American history and culture. Over 2700 individuals are profiled. Transcripts available. - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Papers This link opens in a new windowCourtesy of the Northeastern School of Law Library
This collection provides a comprehensive view of the NAACP's evolution, policies, and achievements from 1909-1970. We have access to 6 collections:
Board of Directors, Annual Conferences, Major Speeches, and National Staff Files
The NAACP’s Major Campaigns--Education, Voting, Housing, Employment, Armed Forces
The NAACP's Major Campaigns--Scottsboro, Anti-Lynching, Criminal Justice, Peonage, Labor, and Segregation and Discrimination Complaints and Responses
The NAACP's Major Campaigns--Legal Department Files
Special Subjects
Branch Department, Branch Files, and Youth Department Files
- Roper Center Public Opinion Archives (with iPOLL) This link opens in a new windowSearch opinion polls from all over the world, using this database from Cornell University. Poll results from news organizations, governments, private foundations, academic institutions, and more. The scope of topics spans politics, culture, workplaces, and social life. 1930s to the present.
Online Resources
- African American Odyssey - the Civil Rights MovementThe exhibition African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship,showcases the incomparable African American collections of the Library of Congress. With over 240 books, government documents, manuscripts, maps, musical scores, plays, films, and recordings, this is the largest Black history exhibit ever held at the Library.
- Anti-Slavery Collections at the Boston Public LibraryRich primary source materials available in the Copley Square main branch of BPL.
- Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed Website provides an online reference guide of African American and Global African history, full-text primary documents and major speeches of black activists and leaders.
- Frederick Douglass Papers (Library of Congress)Original documents by and about the great abolitionist, journalist, and memoirist.
- Lesser Known StoriesA collection of biographies of lesser African Americans of note in history - includes images, ephemera, and more - from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Samuel J. May Antislavery Papers (Cornell)Original papers by abolitionist and reformer who came from Boston and worked with the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery society.