Black History Month is an annual opportunity to focus collectively on African American history, culture and contributions, but Black individuals and communities should be recognized and celebrated daily. The resources below can help you honor and seek out the full stories of Black history this February and every month.

Educational Resources

Black Freedom Struggle database: provides a selection of freely available primary source documents that may be used by a wide range of students, from middle and high school students to college students and independent scholars. Examples of assignments may include National History Day projects or research papers about Black Freedom. Find the database HERE then log in with your last name and TCCL card number.

The website contains approximately 1,600 documents focused on six different phases of Black Freedom:

  • Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement (1790-1860)
  • The Civil War and the Reconstruction Era (1861-1877)
  • Jim Crow Era from 1878 to the Great Depression (1878-1932)
  • The New Deal and World War II (1933-1945)
  • The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1946-1975)
  • The Contemporary Era (1976-2000)

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Black Life in America database: explores the experience and impact of African Americans as recorded by the news media from 1704 to today. Find it HERE then log in with your last name and TCCL card number.

From the early days of slavery to modern times, people of African descent have had a profound impact on American history. This primary source collection offers an expansive window into centuries of African American history, culture and daily life—as well as the ways the dominant culture has portrayed and perceived people of African descent. Information is sourced from more than 19,000 American and global news sources, including over 400 current and historical Black publications. Log in with your last name and TCCL card to start exploring. Learn more about the database HERE.

eLibrary: Find the database HERE, then log in with your last name and TCCL card number.

  • Search “Black History Month” to find a Research Topic that offers information in three sections: History and Overview, which includes e-books, magazines articles, newspaper columns and more; To Celebrate or Not, which offers Pro and Con newspaper and magazine articles; and Looking Back, Moving Forward.
  • Search “Carter G. Woodson” to find a Research Topic containing quotes, biographical information, magazine articles, books and more.

African American Experience database: Log in to the database with your last name and TCCL card number, then search the keywords or phrases below to find resources.

  • Activities: Once logged in to the database, click Advanced Search on the homepage, to the bottom right of the search bar.
    • From there, check the box next to Activities in the Topics and Activities section. (Alternately, select the box for any resource type you want to view.)
    • For a broad search, click the magnifying icon to the right of the search bar near the top of the page. To refine your search, select boxes in the Time Period area for more specific resources, then click the magnifying glass to search.
  • Research Topic: Search “Black History Month” for a reference article on the beginnings and evolution of Black History Month, including information about Carter G. Woodson, the “father of Black history.”

Book Lists and Collections (click to view)

TCCL Kids! Black History Month - Biographies

TCCL Kids! Black History Month - Places & Events

Black History Month on Hoopla (find Hoopla at www.tulsalibrary.org/downloads): ebooks, comics, music and movies 

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More Resources

Month-long Challenges

  • LinkedIn Learning’s Black History Month learning challenge is from 2021, but it can be re-used for this year! All the videos are still available to view and are all relatively short but informational. View the challenge HERE.
  • Celebrate and learn with the 28-day challenge from Because of Them We Can.

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