This history by the former director of the National Book Foundation identifies ten values that have inspired and defined the American consicousness. In addition, the leaders who presented each ideal are named with an explanation of how they shaped the nation's intellectual heritage.

H.W. Crocker analyzes the wars, military campaigns, and foreign and military policy of the United States from its inception to the present day, arguing that the problems confronting the U.S. in the war on terror are the result of political failures rather than military ones

Nathaniel Philbrick's history of the Pilgrim settlement of New England challenges popular misconceptions and discusses topics such as the diseases of European origin suffered by Native Americans, the fragile working relationship between the Pilgrims and their Native American neighbors, and the devastating impact of the King Philip's War. Unabridged on 11 sound discs

Updated and expanded ed., Unabridged on 20 sound discs

Johnnson discusses each major era in the history of the United States and includes biographies of key people, summaries of social movements and issues, time lines, historic documents and speeches, and a guide to historic sites.

To providence 1631 -- Le grand derangement 1755 -- On the forbidden path 1760 -- Soldier in disguise 1782 -- Called by the voice of America 1789 -- Buying freedom 1795 -- "Give us free!" 1839 -- A thousand miles for freedom 1848 -- Walking to Zion 1856 -- "For honor, duty, and liberty" 1863 -- Gold mountain 1865 -- Flight of the Nez Perce 1877 -- The promised land 1894 -- Going north 1924 -- The road to California 1934 -- Saved 1939 -- "Walk together, children" 1965 -- La peregrinacion 1966 -- Losing China 1966 -- "Welcome to America" 1988.

Encyclopædia Britannica Online includes the complete encyclopedia, as well as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, Britannica Student Encyclopedia and the Britannica Book of the Year. Through this service, you can find more than 118,000 articles, updated and revised by Encyclopædia Britannica editors and contributors; over 14,000 illustrations, including photographs, drawings, maps, and flags; and more than 215,000 entries--including definitions, pronunciation guides, and word histories.

Requires a JCLC card.

Magazines, newspapers and reference books (most are full-text). Information on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports, etc. High school.

Requires a JCLC card.

Fact Sheet  PDF Document

no.1 (1986) to present

9/1/1990 to present (click link to access)

v.1 (1895) to present

02/01/1975 to present (click link to access)

Mar 1, 1996 - Current

A monthly political journal of liberal though. Contains articles that generate debate, further ideas, and set agendas; and provides a forum for working through the controversies and hard choices facing all Americans. Includes regular topics and features.

Mar 22, 2006 - Current

Offers a sampling of recent work along with occasional pieces commissioned to survey important aspects in history, literary studies, art history and material culture, and other fields examining America before 1850.

Follows several generations in the lives of a slave family. The saga begins with Kunta Kinte, a West African youth captured by slave raiders and shipped to America in the 1700s. The family is depicted up until the Civil War, when Kunte Kinte's grandson gains his emancipation.

30th anniversary ed.

The fabulous 60s takes a kaleidoscopic look back at this most turbulent of decades, ten tumultuous years that began in hope with man's exploration of space and the youngest elected President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy-- and ended in a welter of Cold War intrigue, political assassination, civil unrest, student demonstration and US involvement in another war in a country known as Vietnam

The Oxford African American Studies Center provides students, teachers, and scholars with an authoritative and comprehensive source on the African American experience. The site is comprised of five major encyclopedias and content from eighteen additional reference sources from Oxford University Press, including more than 8,000 articles by top scholars in the field. The Oxford African American Studies Center combines the authority of carefully edited reference works with sophisticated technology to create the most comprehensive collection of scholarship available online to focus on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture.

Requires a JCLC card and residence in Birmingham, AL.

Guided Tour  Flash presentation.
Video Tutorial  Video tutorial by BPL on YouTube (length 6:45)

Explore stories, films and historical material about the First World War and contribute your own family history. Europeana 1914-1918 mixes resources from libraries and archives across the globe with memories and memorabilia from families throughout Europe. Discover. Learn. Research. Use. Share.

During World War I, the impact of the poster as a means of communication was greater than at any other time during history. The ability of posters to inspire, inform, and persuade combined with vibrant design trends in many of the participating countries to produce thousands of interesting visual works. The Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division makes available online approximately 1,900 posters created between 1914 and 1920. Most relate directly to the war, but some German posters date from the post-war period and illustrate events such as the rise of Bolshevism and Communism, the 1919 General Assembly election and various plebiscites.

The mission of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is to promote civil and human rights worldwide through education.

To strengthen and renew the foundations of American liberty and self-government through citizenship education