Famous African Americans

The Library has many resources to help with your reports and assignments about famous or important African Americans in history!

Print Sources

The following print resources can be found in the Mid-Hudson Library System online catalog. Some books may be designated as reference materials , which means you would have to visit the Library that owns the book to use it there.

The Black Stars Series includes interesting biographical essays of well known and more obscure African-Americans, organized by profession. *

African American Healers by Clinton Cox

African American Inventors by Patricia McKissack

African American Scientists by Patricia McKissack

African American Musicians by Eleanora Tate

African American Women Scientists and Inventors by Otha Sullivan

Biographical Dictionary of African Americans by Rachel Kranz

Brief but thorough biographies of well known and more obscure African Americans from colonial times to the present. Includes authors, sports figures, musicians and entertainers as well as other professions.

Biographical Dictionary of Black Americans by Rachel Kranz
Comprises short sketches of the lives of Afro-Americans who made significant contributions in the arts, politics, sports, and religion, among other fields.

Extraordinary African-Americans From Colonial to Contemporary Times by Susan Altman

Short biographical essays that include African Americans from all professions. *

Great African Americans in History by Carlotta Hacker

Brief biographical essays with many illustrations, photos, and timelines of personal accomplishments. *

Portraits of African American Heroes by Tonya Bolden

Brief but interesting biographical essays with personal details. Large portraits of each person. *

Rebels Against Slavery: American Slave Revolts by Patricia McKissack

Historical account of slave revolts as well as biographical information on specific African Americans who led these revolts.

Online Databases

Use these electronic resources available from the Poughkeepsie Public Library District to find out more about African-Americans in history.

Infotrac, Junior Edition K-12

You can search this database for articles on your person in Footsteps, a magazine devoted to African American history.

Wilson Biographies Plus Illustrated

Includes biographies on thousands of individuals from the past and present.

Call a Youth Services Librarian at (845) 485-3445 x 3320 if you need assistance using the databases.

Web Sites

Web sites can be very helpful to your research, especially if you are studying a more obscure person. The following is a list of general and more specific web sites that have been reviewed by Youth Services Librarians for accuracy and appropriateness.

General sources:

Biographical Profiles of Some Important 19th Century African Americans *

Biographies of African Americans (Multnomah County Library) *

Black History - Biographies

Here are a few selected sites on specific people, eras or topics:
Colin Powell *

Harlem 1900-1940
Harriet Tubman.com *

Jazz Greats
Madam C.J. Walker *

MLK Online (Martin Luther King) *
Muhammad Ali *
Rosa Parks Portal
Sojourner Truth Institute *
W.E.B. DuBois

If you choose to study this famous African-American, take a look at our subject guide about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Search the Catalog

Once you have selected a person to study and have looked at a few of the print sources listed above, you should search the Library's online catalog for biographies on that individual. Ask the Librarian for assistance if you would like to request a book from another library, or if you'd like to search for materials from your Library only.

To do a Subject search, try:
African Americans-Biography-Juvenile Literature
African Americans-Biography
To do a Keyword search, try:
Name of person you are studying Biography Juvenile Literature
Name of person you are studying Biography

Name of person you are studying

Here are just a few possible suggestions of famous African-Americans who you might choose to study:

Alice Walker, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Booker T. Washington, Colin Powell, Coretta Scott King , Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, George Washington Carver , Harriet Tubman, Jesse Jackson , Kobe Bryant , Langston Hughes , Madam C. J. Walker, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall, Venus & Serena Williams

 

Browse the Collection

If you would like to browse to see which books are available on the shelves, you should look in the following Dewey number ranges: 920 for collective biographies, and 970 and 973 for historical sketches. Ask the Librarian if there is a Biography section, and browse by the name of the person you are studying.

*Pictures and Photographs

Your teacher may require a picture of the person you are studying. The print sources on this list have an * next to them if they include photographs or pictures. You can also search for images online by using Google - Images, or click on the Images search in the Poughkeepsie Public Library District's online databases called Kids Search and TOPICsearch.