We Recommend
WiFi @ the Library
Bring your laptop! Visit any of our 79 branches for free WiFi!
View Details »
Quick Search
Related Databases
Use these resources from home, school, or work with a Chicago Public Library card.
*Biography Resource Center » teen pick
Find biographies of famous Asian and Pacific Americans from a variety of sources. Search by name or use the Biographical Facts Search to search by occupation, ethnicity, or gender.
*History Database Search » 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 fifty encyclopedias and other reference titles related to the study of history. The collection includes both scholarly works as well as works written for students.
*ProQuest Magazines & Journals »
Find articles from a wide range of magazines and journals. The collection covers magazines for children and general interest magazines as well as scholarly journals.
Search in the Library
Featured CPL Collections and Programs
- Celebrating Diversity: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month »
Every May, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through events and exhibits and by highlighting select library resources.
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 American presence in Chicago from the Chicago Daily News photograph archive (1902–1933).
- The Chinese American Experience: 1857–1892 »
How did mainstream America view Chinese Americans in the second half of the nineteenth century? Find out through this archive of articles and images from the popular magazine Harper's Weekly.
- Go for Broke »
Go for Broke is a non-profit education foundation focused on preserving the experiences of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who fought in World War II. Among the many resources, the site offers over 700 oral history videos, a timeline, and photo gallery.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.