Navigation Bar

 

AASP 202: BLACK CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES

Web page created by Otis A. Chadley, Social Sciences Team, UM Libraries
Instructor: Dr. Sharon Harley, Chair of the African American Studies Department

Scope: This course related Web page will assist you in locating resources about African American culture. Due to licensing agreements, some of the electronic resources available by remote access is restricted to current students, faculty, and staff at the University of Maryland, College Park. E-mail Otis Chadley, ochadley@umd.edu, the subject area specialist, or call 301-405-9282 for more information.

OUTLINE

return to top

Selecting A Topic & Finding A Summary

Finding Search Terms That Yield Results

After you have selected a topic and understand your subject, then locate search terms that yield results.

  • To identify terms related to African Americans and other topics, consult the list of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). (See the multi-volume set of red books located near McKeldin Library's Reference Desk).

  • Use old and new subject headings from LCSH. Past subject headings referred to African Americans as: Afro-Americans, Black Americans, Colored People (United States), and Negroes. The current term used by LCSH is African Americans.

  • All of the above terms are listed in the University Libraries Online Catalog. Therefore, use such terms appropriate for the historical period.

  • Also, databases, indexes, and other library catalogs use Library of Congress Subject Headings. Use LCSH when searching such resources.

  • The bottom line is, use any term(s) and combination of terms that you believe will get results.

return to top

Finding Library Items By Call Number

The University of Maryland Libraries use the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System (http://www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/callnumbers.html), to organize materials by subject area, and to locate such items by call number. A detailed outline of the Library of Congress Classification System is located at (http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/lcco.html).

Finding Books & Nonprint Materials

Visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu), and click on Catalog (http://catalog.umd.edu). To limit your topic by media type, language, and publication date, use the advanced search option.

Finding Articles In Scholarly Journals

Scholarly journal articles are mostly written by experts, professionals, or scholars in the field of study. Such articles usually include footnotes and a bibliography. Also, an editorial board or outside scholars (peers) review the articles prior to publication.

To distinguish between popular and scholarly articles, review:

To locate journal articles, use specialized periodical indexes or visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu), and click on Research Port.

Select a subject category of databases, such as African American Studies. Recommended databases include Black Thought and Culture; Ethnic NewsWatch; International Index to Black Periodicals; JSTOR; and Primary Sources in African American History.

To search for a specific E-journal title or research your topic within an E-journal, click on E-journals (which includes journals, magazines, and newspapers). Next, enter the E-journal title (i.e. African American Review), and follow the available search options.

return to top

Finding Articles In Popular Magazines

Magazine articles are usually written by journalists, laypersons, or freelance writers. Such articles rarely contain footnotes or a bibliography. Magazine articles are mostly intended for the general public.

To locate magazine articles, use general periodical indexes or visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu), and click on Research Port. From the subject categories of databases, select General/Multidisciplinary. Recommended databases include Academic Search Premier; Ethnic NewsWatch; and LexisNexis Academic.

To search for a specific E-magazine title or research your topic within an E-magazine, click on E-journals (which includes journals, magazines, and newspapers). Next, enter the E-magazine titile (i.e. Black Enterprise, Newsweek etc.), and follow the available search options.

Finding Articles In Newspapers

Newspapers articles provide timely information on a variety of topics. To locate relevant news stories on your subject, use newspaper indexes, as well as, electronic databases. Visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu), and click on Research Port. From the subject categories of databases, select News Sources/Current Events. Recommended databases include Academic Search Premier; African American Newspapers (19th Century); Ethnic NewsWatch; LexisNexis Academic; and Black Thought and Culture (i.e. Black Panther Party Newspaper).

To search for a specific E-newspaper title or research your topic within an E-newspaper, click on E-journals (which includes journals, magazines, and newspapers). Next, enter the E-newspaper title (i.e. New York Times), and follow the available search options.

Finding Primary Sources On Your Topic

Primary sources are eyewitness accounts or participants' reports. Secondary sources interprets or analyzes topics. Examples of primary sources include diaries, speeches, interviews, letters, manuscripts, photographs, minutes and papers of organizations, microfilm collections in some instances, video recordings that document what happened, and newspaper articles written at the time of an event. Memoirs and autobiographies are sometimes considered primary sources.

return to top

To locate primary sources, use the search methods listed below.

  • Visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu), and click on Catalog. Conduct a keyword search and combine your topic with the desired primary source. Example(s): Malcolm X Interviews or Malcolm X Speeches

  • Visit the University Libraries' Homepage (http://www.lib.umd.edu) and click on Databases. Next, search the databases listed under General Databases, or search under Databases By Subject, to locate a list of databases on your topic.

  • Also, visit the Microform Collections by Subject web site, and click on History--U.S.--African Americans (http://www.lib.umd.edu/MICROFORMS/subject_list.html).


  • To identify more African American related materials in Special Collections, visit the following web sites:

    African American History Resources
    Web Address:http://www.lib.umd.edu/archivesum/rguide/afram.jsp
    African and African-American Pamphlet Collection (http://www.lib.umd.edu/RARE/RareCollection/africanpamphlet.html)

return to top

Finding African American Resources Through The Internet

The selected search engines listed below are designed specifically, to retrieve black resources on the Web. Also, mainstream search engines will help you locate needed information. Refer to last entry in list below.

return to top

Highly Recommended Print Sources & Electronic Databases

Listed below is a selected list of print sources and electronic databases, that will assist you in your research.

Print Sources
  • African American History in the Press, 1851-1899 (MCKREF STACKS E185..A25 1996 Vols. 1-2 Noncirculating)
  • African-American Newspapers and Periodicals: A National Bibliography (MCKREF STACKS PN4882.5.A44 1998 Noncirculating)
  • Afro-American History: A Bibliography (MACREF STACKS E185.S59 Vols. 1-2 Noncirculating)
  • Antebellum Black Newspapers: Indices...[1827-1841] (MCKREF STACKS E185.5J33 Noncirculating)
  • Bibliographic Checklist of African American Newspapers (MCKREF STACKS PN4882.5.B53 1995 Noncirculating)
  • Bibliographic Index (MCKREF STACKS Z1002.B593 Noncirculating)
  • Black Americans in Autobiography...[Since the Civil War] (MCKREF STACKS E185.96.B76 1984 Noncirculating)
  • Blacks in Selected Newspapers, Censuses and Other Sources: An Index to Names and Subjects (MCKREF STACKS E185.96.A28 Vols. 1-3 Noncirculating)
  • Claude A. Barnett Papers Part One: Associated Negro Press News Releases, 1928-1964 (MCKREF STACKS PN 4882.5.C525 1984 Guide Folio & MCK PER M-FILM 4882.5.C525 1984)
  • Dictionary of Twentieth Century Culture: African American Culture (MCKREF STACKS E185.A2525 1996 Noncirculating)
  • In Black and White: A Guide to Magazine Articles, Newspaper Articles [Concerning Black Individuals and Groups] (MCKREF STACKS E185.96.S76 Vols. 1-2 Noncirculating)
  • Index to Black Periodicals, 1984- (MCKREF STACKS AI3.O411 Noncirculating)
  • Index to Periodical Articles By and About Negroes, 1960-1972 (MCKREF STACKS AI3.O4 Noncirculating)
  • Index to Selected Negro Periodicals, 1950-Winter 1954 (MCKREF STACKS AI3.O4 Noncirculating)
  • Kaiser Index to Black Resources, 1948-1986 (MCKREF STACKS E185.K25 1992 Vols. 1-5 Noncirculating)
  • New York Times Index, 1851- (MCKREF STACKS AI21.N44 Noncirculating)
  • Nineteenth Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, 1890-1899 (MCKREF STACKS AI3.R496 Vols. 1-3, Noncirculating)
  • Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, 1900- (MCKREF STACKS AI3.R48 Noncirculating)
  • Speech Index (MCKREF STACKS AI3.S85 Noncirculating)
  • Voices of the Spirit: Sources For Interpreting the African-American Experience (MCKREF STACKS E 185.G66 1995 Noncirculating)

return to top

Electronic Databases

Anyone on campus with internet access or inside the University of Maryland Libraries (College Park) may search the (UM Only) databases. However, if you are off campus, you must have a current University of Maryland (College Park) Identification Card.

return to top

Highly Recommended Microform & Special Collections

The African American related materials listed below are located in McKeldin Library's Periodicals/Microforms Room, and Special Collections in Hornbake Library, Maryland Room. Visit (http://www.lib.umd.edu/MICROFORMS/micro_list.html) for more Microform Collections, and (http://www.lib.umd.edu/PUB/collections.html) for more Special Collections.

return to top

Borrowing From University of Maryland Libraries & Placing Holds

If you have a current University of Maryland identification card, you may borrow from all University System of Maryland Libraries, as well as, place holds. For more details on borrowing privileges, visit our web site, http://www.lib.umd.edu/PUBSERV/circ_all.html.

Requesting Materials Through Interlibrary Loan Services

If you need an item that is not owned by one of the University of Maryland Libraries, you may request a copy through the Interlibrary Loan Office. For details refer to our web site, http://www.lib.umd.edu/ILL/Welcome.html.

Avoiding Plagiarism & Citing Your Research Correctly

Do not plagiarize. Use a style guide to correctly cite ideas you borrow from books, journals, the internet, or other sources. Don't borrow concepts from others without giving credit in your research. The most widely known styles guides are APA, Turabian, MLA, Chicago Manual of Style, and AMA.

Which style guide should you use? Ask your instructor.

Conducting Off Campus Research Through Your Personal Computer

Everyone may search the catalog of UM Libraries and the University System of Maryland. Due to our licensing agreements, most databases and e-journals are restricted to current students, faculty, and staff at the University of Maryland, College Park.

To search library holdings, visit our Web site at http://www.lib.umd.edu. Click on "Catalog."

To search databases and e-journals, visit our Web site at http://www.lib.umd.edu. Click on "Research Port" and review screen commands.

For more information about accessing UM Libraries resources from off-campus, visit Off-Campus Access to Library Resources.

return to top

 

© 2006 University Libraries. University of Maryland. College Park, MD 20742-7011, (301) 405-0800
Last modified: July 30, 2009

Send us your comments | Privacy Policy
University of Maryland Libraries Home Catalog Research Port Ask us! How do I...? Site index Search