Getting Started
Begin your research by brainstorming keywords - the words and phrases you’ll use to search for books, articles, websites, government documents, and other resources. These may include names of people and places or historical concepts like eras and movements. A librarian can suggest “subject headings” to find the most relevant resources.
Example Keywords & Catalog Subject Headings
Books/Print Resources at DPL
Database/Online Resources
Library databases are online collections of information, organized for research. Databases contain articles, eBooks, images, maps, primary sources and more. If you don’t have a library card, register online for immediate access to these resources. The following recommended databases are available on our Research and Teen Social Studies pages.
Black Freedom Struggle in the U.S. (ProQuest)
Primary source documents from six different periods of Black Freedom in American history:
Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement (1790-1860)
The Civil War and the Reconstruction Era (1861-1877)
Jim Crow Era from 1878 to the Great Depression (1878-1932)
The New Deal and World War II (1933-1945)
The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1946-1975)
The Contemporary Era (1976-2000)
Black Historical Newspapers (ProQuest)
Collection of 14 influential African American newspapers that documented the Black experience in America from 1893 to 2010. Access to perspectives and information that was excluded or marginalized in mainstream sources. Articles, obituaries, photos, editorials, and more, from the following newspapers:
Atlanta Daily World
The Baltimore Afro-American
Chicago Defender
Cleveland Call & Post
Houston Informer and Texas Freeman
Kansas City Call
Los Angeles Sentinel
Louisville Defender
Michigan Chronicle
New York Amsterdam News
The Norfolk Journal & Guide
The Philadelphia Tribune
Pittsburgh Courier
St. Louis American
Biography Reference Source (Ebsco)
Provides thousands of unique and reliable full-text biographies. In addition to keyword search, users can locate biographies by subject, occupation, activity, nationality, gender, birthplace and more.
Explora High School (Ebsco)
Look up topic overviews, encyclopedia, magazine and academic journal articles, facts and primary sources for research papers, class projects or homework. Get information from trustworthy sources that you can cite in your papers. Designed with students and educators in mind.
Gale PowerSearch
Search thousands of magazines, newspapers, and journals for any topic or research project. This tool searches multiple Gale and Infotrac sources at once to help you find reliable articles and information all in one place.
U.S. History (Gale)
Provides a complete overview of U.S. history covering the most-studied events, decades, conflicts, wars, political and cultural movements, and people. Search reference sources, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary sources, images, videos, audio files, and see links to curated web sites.
Internet Sources
Before using information you find on the internet for assignments and research, it is important to establish that the information comes from a reliable and appropriate source. The following websites, from government, academic and nonprofit organizations, have been evaluated for authority, accuracy, content and currency.
Contact the Reference Services department for help with your research project
- Phone us, 720-865-1363
- Chat with us online with the Ask Us! Service
- Meet with us in person or online to work one-on-one with a librarian