Reference Sources
Use reference sources--specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries, bibliographies, and handbooks available online and in print--early in the research process. These sources provide topic overviews and background knowledge. To search for reference sources in HOLLIS, add (encyclopedias OR dictionaries OR bibliographies OR handbooks) to your search or use the right menu to limit to reference sources.
Selected reference sources:
Bibliography of Publications of the U. S. Office of Education, 1867 to 1959 by ISBN: 0874710111Publication Date: 1971A list of publications released by the U.S. Department of Education. Also available online.
The SAGE Handbook of African American Education by ISBN: 9781452261836Publication Date: 2008The SAGE Handbook of African American Education is a unique, comprehensive collection of theoretical and empirical scholarship in six important areas: historical perspectives, teaching and learning, Pre-K-12 school leadership, higher education, current issues, and education policy.
Chronology of African American History by ISBN: 0810385732Publication Date: 1997-06-01This chronological guide to the people, places, and events significant to African American history includes details on important births and deaths, legislation and court decisions, rebellions and demonstrations, awards, and elections. Brief biographies are also included.
Thinking about Black Education by ISBN: 9781975502546Publication Date: 2023In this pioneering interdisciplinary reader, Hilton Kelly and Heather Moore Roberson have curated essential readings for thinking about black education from slavery to the present day. The reading selections are timeless, with both historical and contemporary readings from educational anthropology, history, legal studies, literary studies, and sociology to document the foundations and development of Black education in the United States. In addition, the authors highlight scholarship offering historical, conceptual, and pedagogical gems that shine a light on Black people's enduring pursuit of liberatory education.- Education in the States byPublication Date: 1969v. 1 Historical Development and Outlook; v.2 Nationwide development since 1900
Individual state entries often address the development of African American education at the state level. 
Encyclopedia of African American Education by ISBN: 9781412940504Publication Date: 2009This 2-volume encyclopedia provides a comprehensive overview of educational institutions at every level, from preschool through graduate and professional training, with special attention to historically and predominantly Black colleges and universities. An appendix, "The Complete Bibliography of the Journal of Negro Education, 1932-2008," includes listings of tables of contents and reprinted articles on segregation, desegregation, and equality.
Guide to African American and African Primary Sources at Harvard University by ISBN: 1573563390Publication Date: 2000-12-30This guide is the first to provide an inventory of the African and African American holdings of primary material residing in 22 Harvard libraries and museums. The collections include artifacts, diaries/letters, manuscripts, maps, oral histories, photographs, political posters, sheet music, and works of art.
- African American Biographical DatabaseThe African American Biographical Database (AABD) brings together the biographies of thousands of African Americans from Chadwyck-Healey’s acclaimed Black Biographical Dictionaries 1790-1950. Biographical portraits from other published reference sources, obituary files, slave narrative collections, internet sites, etc. have been added as the database expands. To access this material, you must visit a Harvard Library in person or have a Harvard ID and PIN for remote access.
- Oxford African American Studies CenterThe Oxford African American Studies Center provides students, scholars and librarians with more than 20,000 articles by top scholars in the field. Over 2,500 images, more than 700 primary sources with specially written commentaries, and nearly 200 maps have been collected to enhance this reference content. Discover over 60 "Focus On" articles which feature essays, photographic essays, and a selected list of articles.
Monographs
Monographs (books that provide a detailed treatment of a single subject or an aspect of a subject) provide in-depth information. Examples of monographs include a history of a single institution, an analysis of the evolution of an aspect of black education or a study of a particular period in education. Monographs can also be a useful resource for identifying primary sources.
Selected Monographs:
Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black teaching by Call Number: 1295242495 (OCLC)ISBN: 0-674-25909-2Publication Date: 2021
The Lost Education of Horace Tate by Call Number: 99153694486103941ISBN: 9781620971055Publication Date: 2018-07-31
May We Forever Stand A History of the Black National Anthem by ISBN: 1469638622Publication Date: 2018- New Perspectives on Black Educational History byCall Number: 990007798480203941ISBN: 0816181144Publication Date: 1978-06-01
Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies by ISBN: 9798888900574Publication Date: 2023-07-04
Self-taught: African American Education in Slavery and Freedom by ISBN: 080782920XPublication Date: 2005
Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality by ISBN: 0375414770Publication Date: 2004-04-13
Using Past As Prologue: Contemporary Perspectives on African American Educational History by ISBN: 9781681231709Publication Date: 2015-08-06
We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power, and the Radical Imagination by ISBN: 0199861471Publication Date: 2016-02-11
Dissertations
Dissertations may provide substantial coverage of topics not widely researched and are a good source of literature reviews and references. They treat emerging areas of research and provide access to new voices.
To search for dissertations in HOLLIS, select the "Dissertations" checkbox under Resource Type to filter your search. See HOLLIS Search Tips for a guide to subject headings and keywords.
Additional sources for dissertations:
- ProQuest DissertationsDoctoral dissertations can be a valuable source of information, and bibliographies, related to your research topic.
- DASHA central, open-access repository of research by members of the Harvard community, including dissertations.
Scholarly Articles
Although HOLLIS includes articles, databases focus your search by discipline and/or provide sophisticated search features to improve your results.
HOLLIS Databases is a tool for identifying specialized search engines and large collections of digital materials. Custom search options include the types of materials contained in the database (“content type”), custom subject categories (“subject category”), and the ability to search by vendor (“publisher/producer”).
Once you're in an individual database, refer to its search tips for help, use the keywords suggested in this guide, or meet with a librarian to explore databases, search terms, and strategies.
Below is a list of databases to get you started:
- 3-in-1 Education ArticlesSearch three education-related databases, ERIC, Education Source, and Academic Search Premier, to find articles on your topic.
- America: History and LifeSearch this definitive index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present, for articles, dissertations, and book reviews. Use the "historical period" limiter to search for materials about a particular time period.
- Education Index RetrospectiveSearches education literature 1929-1983.
- JSTORSearch this archive of scholarly journals for long runs of major journals. Caution: JSTOR often does not include articles published in the past 3-5 years. Use "advanced search" for fielded searching (tip: only 10% of JSTOR articles have abstracts) or to select relevant collections.
- Curated list of databases relevant to African American StudiesIn addition to the education and history databases listed above, this curated list provides additional resources to explore.
Key Journals
- Black History BulletinPublished by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Previously the Negro History Bulletin (1937-2001)
- Journal of Negro EducationThis scholarly journal was founded at Howard University in 1932. Check "online access" in the HOLLIS record for the complete holdings.
- Negro History BulletinPublished by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. 1937-2001. Continued as the Black History Bulletin.