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Primary Source Databases
- African American Communities This link opens in a new windowFocusing predominantly on Atlanta, Chicago, Brooklyn, and towns and cities in North Carolina, this collection presents multiple aspects of the African American community through personal diaries and scrapbooks, pamphlets, newspapers and periodicals, correspondence, official records and in-depth oral histories. It reveals the prevalent challenges of racism, discrimination and integration, and a unique African American culture and identity.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Black Studies Center supports research, teaching, and learning in Black Studies and other disciplines that benefit from a more detailed coverage of the black experience such as history, literature, political science, sociology, philosophy, and religion. The Black Studies Center offers a collection of primary and secondary sources that record and illuminate the Black experience, from ancient Africa through modern times.
- History Vault This link opens in a new windowHistory Vault is a collection of primary source material pertaining to the civil rights movement and to U.S. foreign policy during the Vietnam War era. This rich collection of federal records, letters, papers, photographs, scrapbooks, financial records, and diaries is organized in five subject categories: 1) Black Freedom Struggle; 2) NAACP Papers; 3) Slavery and the Law; 4) Southern Life and African American History, 1775-1915, Plantations Records; and 5) Vietnam War and American Foreign Policy, 1960-1975.
- Black Drama (Second Edition) This link opens in a new window
Black Drama contains the full text of plays written by more numerous playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries. Many of the works are rare, hard to find, or out of print.
Primary Source Websites
- Harlem Renaissance Collections - Library of Congress"The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with the Harlem Renaissance, including manuscripts, photographs, plays, and sound recordings."
- Digital Public Library of AmericaContains images and other full-text sources
- Visual Art During the Harlem Renaissance"This set of primary sources highlights the multi-media visual art of this era, which vibrantly celebrates African-American and African history and culture."
- Digital Harlem"A collaborative research project on everyday life in Harlem between 1915 and 1930."
Books
- ScoutScout is the UA Libraries' academic search engine, and compiles journal articles from a wide range of databases. You may be able to find journal articles on Scout that you wouldn't be able to find in the other databases listed on this page.
- HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new windowHathiTrust is a partnership of research institutions committed to digital preservation of the cultural record. The Digital Library provides access to public domain and some in-copyright content from a variety of sources, including Google, the Internet Archive, Microsoft, and in-house partner institution initiatives.
Newspapers/Magazines
- African American Newspapers (1827-1998) This link opens in a new windowThis collection includes the full text of historically significant African American newspapers, published in 36 states.
Access requires on-campus authentication. - ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowThis database offers full-text and full-image articles for newspapers dating back to the 19th century. For most titles, the collection includes digital reproductions of every page from every issue--cover to cover--in downloadable PDF files. Current access includes: The Atlanta Constitution (1868-1984); The Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003); The Baltimore Sun (1837-1991); The Chicago Defender (1909-1975); Chicago Tribune (1849-1993); Chinese Newspapers Collection (1832-1953); The Christian Science Monitor (1908-2003); Hartford Courant (1764-1922); Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005); Los Angeles Times (1881-1993); Louisville Courier Journal (1830-1922); New York Amsterdam News (1922-1993); The New York Times (1851-2013); Norfolk Journal and Guide (1916-2003); Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002); San Francisco Chronicle (1865-1922); The Scotsman (1817-1950); St. Louis Post Dispatch (1874-1922); The Wall Street Journal (1889-1999); and The Washington Post (1877-2000).
- Newspapers.com – World Collection This link opens in a new windowNewspapers.com Library Edition offers full page newspaper images with searchable full-text of newspapers. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to both full runs and portions of runs of newspapers.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Black Studies Center supports research, teaching, and learning in Black Studies and other disciplines that benefit from a more detailed coverage of the black experience such as history, literature, political science, sociology, philosophy, and religion. The Black Studies Center offers a collection of primary and secondary sources that record and illuminate the Black experience, from ancient Africa through modern times.
- African American Periodicals, 1825-1995 This link opens in a new window
This database provides access to periodicals by and about African Americans. Representing 26 states, the publications offer a range of material, including academic and political journals, commercial magazines, institutional newsletters, organizations’ bulletins, annual reports and other genres.
Access requires on-campus authentication.
- The Crisis"The Crisis is the official publication of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). It features African American commentary on current affairs. In the past, it has also featured African American literature prominently, and was one of the major magazines of the Harlem Renaissance."
Streaming Video
- HistoryMakers Digital Archive, The This link opens in a new windowThe HistoryMakers Digital Archive provides primary source resources through video content, fully searchable transcripts, and oral histories from individuals whose life stories bring African American history to life. Areas of interest include business, education, entertainment, military life, music, politics, religion, science, sports and much more.
- KweliTV This link opens in a new windowKweliTV is a streaming service and TV/video network dedicated to the issues, stories and culture of the global Black community. Includes independent films, documentaries, web shows, and news from the entire African diaspora. Content is selected with an emphasis on the true Black experience without the stereotypical roles and storylines seen in mainstream media. It includes a free, live tv stream. New content is added weekly. Click "Login through your institution". Then click "Skip" to access KweliTV and begin your search.