Library Research Guides: AFR/ENG 295: The Harlem Renaissance: Home

Spotlight on . . .

New York Amsterdam News, 1922-1993
Harlem's premier newspaper, publishing the work of many of the leading figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

From The New York Amsterdam News, Feb 8, 1936.

Starting Points

Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (e-book)
Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the period, including persons, works, concepts, events, geographic regions, and other topics. (2004)
The Harlem Renaissance
3 volumes covering broad literary topics and specific authors in great detail.
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance
1 volume with shorter entries, helpful bibliographies for further reading, and a glossary of slang!
Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era (e-book)
Includes representatives not only from the literary scene but also activists, actresses, artists, educators, and more. (2014)
W. E. B. du Bois
A concise guide to the people, organizations and causes of Du Bois's life, with great bibliographies on specific topics. (2001)
The Cambridge Companion to the Harlem Renaissance (e-book)
Discusses the historical contexts of the Harlem Renaissance as well as its aftermath, and presents original discussions of a wide array of authors and texts.
The Harlem Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction by Cheryl A. Wall
(2016)

Key Databases

Literature Resource Center
Biographies, bibliographies and full-text critical analysis of authors from all genres and eras, including the contents of Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography, and Contemporary Literary Criticism.
MLA International Bibliography
Scholarly articles on all genres of literature, from all cultures, published since 1963.
Oxford African American Studies Center
Biographies, encyclopedia articles, and primary sources on African American and African history and culture.
America: History & Life with Full Text
Find scholarly articles on the history of the Harlem Renaissance and related topics. Use the Advanced Search to limit to a historical period.

Search the library catalog for books or chapters that analyze your author's writing. Tip: Search your author as a Subject by choosing Subject from the drop-down menu!

example: subject search for Hurston, Zora Neale -- Criticism and interpretation

If you don't find much with a subject search, try a keyword search instead.

Primary Sources from the Harlem Renaissance Era

Newspapers & Magazines

New York Amsterdam News, 1922-1993
The premier African-American newspaper published in Harlem, 1922-1993.
Chicago Defender, 1909-1975
Searchable full-text replica of one of America's leading African-American newspapers, from 1909 to 1975.
African American Periodicals, 1825-1995
Includes Crisis and The Messenger, two major publications of the Harlem Renaissance.
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998
This database features 270 newspapers published in 36 states, including rare and historically significant 19th-century titles.

Digitized Books (pre-1923)

Internet Archive
Digitized, searchable books and magazines mostly published before 1923. Includes Survey Graphic!
HathiTrust
Digital library by major research institutions & libraries, with freely searchable content as well as some "sneak-peek" (copyrighted) content.
W.E.B. DuBois Papers
Much of the literary, political, and scholarly writings of this great scholar and leader.

Other Sources

Digital Public Library of America
Do a keyword search and limit by date range to see materials created during that period.
Harlem History
Digitized archival materials and scholarship from Columbia University. Find primary source material related to the Harlem Renaissance under “Arts and Culture."
Library of Congress: Harlem Renaissance Digital Collections
Includes manuscripts, photographs, plays, and sound recordings

The Harlem Renaissance Beyond Harlem

Looking for information on the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on a particular geographic region? Here are a few good starting places:

Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance
has articles covering the Harlem Renaissance in every region of the United States and several world regions. To find US regions, look alphabetically under Harlem Renaissance and the United States. To find other world regions, look under the following: Anglophone Africa, Anglophone Caribbean, Europe, Francophone Africa, Francophone Caribbean.

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