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Related Databases
Use these resources on any Chicago Public Library computer or on non-Library computers with your Chicago Public Library card.
Biography in Context » teen pick
Find biographies of famous Asian and Pacific Islander Americans from a variety of sources. Search by name or use the Person Search to search by occupation, ethnicity or gender.
American History Online » teen pick
Find overviews from general encyclopedias on American history as well as specialized sources such as the Encyclopedia of Japanese American History. The database also includes biographies, pictures, maps, graphs and primary sources.
History Reference Collection »
Search over 50 encyclopedias and other reference titles related to the study of history. The collection includes both scholarly works as well as works written for students.
EBSCO Magazines & Journals »
Find articles from general interest magazines and scholarly journals.
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Featured CPL Collections and Programs
- Celebrating Diversity: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month »
Every May, the Chicago Public Library celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through events and exhibits and by highlighting select library resources. - Social Science and History Department »
The Social Science and History Department at the Harold Washington Library Center has a broad range of material on world, U.S., local and ethnic history, with a particular emphasis on Chicago history.
Helpful Websites
- Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month at the Library of Congress »
This gateway to the collections of the Library of Congress features images, audio clips, videos and more. Of particular interest are the Ansel Adams photographs of Japanese American internment at Manzanar, stories of Asian/Pacific Americans from the Veterans History Project, and images of the Asian and Pacific Islander American presence in Chicago from the Chicago Daily News photograph archive (1902-1933).
- Encyclopedia of Chicago »
Sponsored by the Chicago History Museum, the Newberry Library and Northwestern University, this unique resource includes articles on the history of most ethnic groups in the city, including Pacific Islanders, Mongolians, Tibetans, Taiwanese, Burmese, Hmong, Indonesians, Laotians, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Thais, Afghans, Bangladeshis, Nepalese, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans.
- Japanese American National Museum: Online Collections »
The Japanese American National Museum’s online collections help viewers better understand the experiences of Japanese Americans interned during World War II through letters, diaries, photographs, drawings and paintings.
- Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives »
This website features digitized photographs of Japanese Americans interned during World War II, as well as images of places such as prewar neighborhoods and internment camps. In addition, letters, diaries and art reflect the experiences of those living in the camps.
- Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program »
Explore the resources of the Smithsonian Institution. View recent acquisitions or tour online exhibits such as On Gold Mountain: A Chinese American Experience and A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution.