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Birmingham Public Library - Virtual Library - Subject Resources - American Civil War
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American Civil War
 
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Subjects last updated on Jul. 21, 2023.
American Civil War RSS
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Guide Information
Last Updated
Feb. 17, 2016
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Databases
Features
The Civil War
U.S. History in Context theme page for the American Civil War. (Requires JCLC card and residence in Birmingham)
Remembering the American Civil War
Special feature article from Encyclopedia Britannica with photos, tables, and timelines. (Requires JCLC card)
Annual Reports of the Secretary of War, 1861-1865
Government documents from the U.S. Serial Set. Search for Annual Reports of the Secretary of War and limit dates to 1861 to 1865 (inclusive). (Requires a JCLC card and residence in Birmingham.)
Databases
Ancestry Library Edition
Description
Family name information, genealogy, histories, census data, military records, passenger lists, vital records, directories, photos, and more. Ancestry Library Edition is subject to ongoing updates and new content is added frequently. Ancestry Library Edition is only available from computers inside of the Birmingham Public Library.
Availability
Birmingham Public Library - In Library Use Only.
Tutorials
Training Guide  Web Site
U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection
Description
The U.S. Serial Set, an ongoing collection of U.S. Government publications compiled under the directive of Congress, captures every aspect of American life from the early 19th century onward, from farming, to westward expansion, scientific exploration, politics, international relations, business, and manufacturing. It includes Congressional reports and documents as well as executive agency and departmental reports ordered to be printed by Congress.
Availability
Requires a JCLC card and residence in Birmingham, AL.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Description
Search America's historic newspapers pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. There are currently 664 historical newspapers available to browse and view in this site and over 140,000 newspapers listed in the U.S. Newspaper Directory.
Availability
Publicly Available.
African-American History Online
Description
African-American History Online covers topics such as affirmative action, Africa, black nationalism, civil rights, emancipation, free blacks, the Harlem Renaissance, migrations, racial violence and hate crimes, religion, slave living conditions, slave liberation strategies, social work and philanthropy, sports, and visual arts.
Availability
Requires a JCLC card.
Tutorials
Introductory Tour  Requires Flash
Video Tutorial  Video tutorial by BPL on YouTube (length 4:01)
African American Studies Center
Description
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.
Availability
Requires a JCLC card and residence in Birmingham, AL.
Tutorials
Guided Tour  Flash presentation.
Video Tutorial  Video tutorial by BPL on YouTube (length 6:45)
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present
Description
This US Congressional resource provides a searchable database of all members of Congress from 1774 to present. The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress includes the position, party, year, and state of each member of congress.
Availability
Publicly Available.
Britannica Online Reference Center Public Library Edition
Description
Britannica Online Public Library Edition contains 4 full encyclopedias, the Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton’s by Britannica, Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia, and Britannica Concise Encyclopedia each covering the research needs of a different age group. Along with this encyclopedia content, Public Library Edition contains full-text magazine articles, Web sites that have been reviewed and verified by Britannica editors, a homework help section for students, a world atlas, Merriam-Webster dictionaries and thesauri for children and adults, a Spanish-English dictionary, video and audio content, daily content updates, and more.
Availability
Requires a JCLC card.
History Reference Center
Description
Features the full text of more than 650 historical encyclopedias and other non-fiction books, as well as nearly 60 leading history periodicals; historical documents, biographies of historical figures, historical photos and maps; and hours of historical film and video.
Availability
Requires a JCLC card.
Magazines
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Page Last Modified: 3/2/2026 11:12 AM

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