African American Biographical Database

In a single landmark collection, the African American Biographical Database (AABD) brings together biographies, rare books, and historical information on thousands of African-Americans--many not found in any other reference source.

AABD is a research tool for librarians, political and social historians, genealogists, scholars, students, and anyone interested in the rich cultural heritage of the African American community.

Portraying thousands of African Americans from every walk of life, AABD includes sketches of national activists; state and local figures; prominent women; legal, medical, educational, business, and other professionals; musicians, artists and writers; church and missionary leaders; social club and fraternal order members; reform organization members; former slaves; and more.

AABD includes biographies of over 30,000 African-Americans in more than 40,000 sketches from Chadwyck-Healey's acclaimed Black Biographical Dictionaries 1790-1950. AABD is searchable by name of subject of the biography, by subject's place of birth, occupation, religion, date of birth or death, gender, and by source of information. In addition, AABD offers full-text searching for over 140 titles.

Besides having direct online access to biographical information, users will be able to view thousands of photographs and illustrations and the biographical dictionaries used to compile the biographies. All volumes used as sources can be searched or viewed, providing electronic access to rare books and allowing for further historical and cultural research.

The editors for the African American Biographical Database are Randall K. Burkett, African-American Studies Bibliographer, Emory University, Nancy Hall Burkett, Librarian of the American Antiquarian Society, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Afro-American Studies Chair, Harvard University.