Library Homepage: Black History &amp; Culture: Secondary Sources

Black HIstory Month

Carter G. Woodson Memorial: Washington, DC. DC Department of Parks and Recreation.

The scholar Carter G. Woodson, who’s known as “the father of black history” and the creator of what would become Black History Month, dedicated his life’s work to promoting the study of black people and their accomplishments.

Poydras, Myles. (February 28, 2020). Books Briefing: The Uncut History of Black Life. The Atlantic.

Secondary Sources

What are Secondary Sources?

Content created after the time of an historical event that interprets or provides perspective outside of firsthand experience. Can include memoir, biography, bibliography, reference books, articles, news, criticism, commentaries, textbooks, indexes.

Some of the sources listed may also provide access to primary sources such as those described in the Primary Sources page of this guide.

Avery Research Center
The mission of the Avery Research Center is to collect, preserve, and promote the unique history and culture of the African diaspora, with an emphasis on Charleston, the South Carolina Lowcountry, and beyond.
Digital Schomburg
Exhibitions, books, articles, photographs, prints, audio and video streams, and selected external links for research in the history and cultures of the peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora.
Experience Africa: The African Diaspora
A discussion of the African Diaspora.
LIbrary of Congress: Law - Black History Month
Overview of Black History Month and access to Legislative and Executive Branch documents regarding its commemoration.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
A museum of conscience, an education center, a convener of dialogue, and a beacon of light for inclusive freedom around the globe.
Office of Minority Health
Dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.
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Access a Black/African American health profile by state, featuring thirteenth common medical issues. Included are cardiovascular disease, and sickle cell disease. OMH works to raise awareness about these conditions and the effects of them on the African American community.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
One of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries, is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.
Senator John Heinz HIstory Center
The African American Collection, comprised of archives and museum artifacts located at the History Center, is dedicated to the preservation, dissemination, and interpretation of the life, history, and culture of Africans and African Americans in Western Pennsylvania.
Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education marked a turning point in the history of race relations in the United States. On May 17, 1954, the Court stripped away constitutional sanctions for segregation by race, and made equal opportunity in education the law of the land.
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
The only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans.
TED Talks to Celebrate Black History Month
Insightful talks that offer fresh, thoughtful perspectives on Black identity.
U.S. Census: African-American (Black) History Month -2020
American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926.
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For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded to a month. Since then, U.S. presidents have proclaimed February as National African-American History Month.
What it Means to Celebrate Afro-Latinidad in the Time of Black Lives Matter
Interviews with festival attendees.