In which Chicago Public Library databases will I find useful information for my history fair project?

History Fair projects require extensive research. To start a project, we recommend the following databases. Brief descriptions of what you'll find in each database are given below. For specific search hints and examples, click on the "learn more" links.

Unless otherwise noted, these resources are available at all Chicago Public Library locations and from home, school, or work with a Chicago Public Library card.

Newspaper Articles

Chicago Defender Historical Archive » primary source
Find articles from a digital archive of one of the most significant African-American newspapers in the country, the Chicago Defender. Published locally, the paper covers both local and national events from a unique perspective. Search for articles, photographs, and other content describing events that took place between 1910 and 1975. Learn more.

Chicago Tribune Historical Archive » primary source
Use this database to find contemporary (that is, written at the time of the event) newspaper articles from the Chicago Tribune for events that happened between 1849 and 1986. Did the event or process you are researching happen between these dates? Was it likely of enough interest to the general public that reporters wrote a story about it? If so, you may find one or more articles about it here. Learn more.

Biographies

American National Biography » secondary source
Use this database to find essays about famous deceased Americans. Especially helpful are the bibliographies, which list the best sources for further research on the person. Learn more.

Biography Resource Center » secondary source
Use this database to find short articles about famous people taken from numerous biographical encyclopedias. Learn more.

Company Histories

Business & Company Resource Center » secondary source
Use this database to find short histories and timelines of such Chicago companies as Rand McNally & Co., R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Montgomery Ward & Co., and Marshall Field's. Learn more.

Magazine and Journal Articles

America: History & Life » secondary source
Use this database to identify articles on topics in Chicago history in a wide range of magazines and journals, including Chicago History and the Journal of Illinois History. Note that the database only contains short descriptions of articles, not the complete articles themselves; thus, once you develop a list of articles on your topic, you'll want to ask a librarian to help you find them.
Available at the Harold Washington Library Center, Sulzer Regional Library, and Woodson Regional Library.

Encyclopedia Articles

History Database Search » secondary source
Use this database to find short articles on a wide range of historical events and processes. These articles are especially useful in helping you get a sense of the larger (that is, national) context of your project. Learn more.