Tip: Use type specific biographical sources for individuals who may only be of note within the context of their field or other affiliation.
Type specific biographical sources provide a contextual perspective on an individual’s life in relation to others who have similar characteristics. Listed below are selected biographical sources grouped according to characteristic. The list below is by no means comprehensive. Additional sources can be located via the catalog or with help from a Reference Librarian.
National / Regional
Garraty, John A. American National Biography . 25 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. (LC RH) Ref CT213 .A68. This source contains biographies of deceased Americans only.
American Council of Learned Societies. Dictionary of American Biography. 22 vols. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1928. (LC RH) Ref E176.D56. Biographical essays on persons who have made significant contribution to American life.
Jackson, Kenneth T. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. 8 vols. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1998. (LC RH) Ref CT213.S37. Expands the DAB to place selected individuals in their historical context. Photographs of each person.
Matthew, H. C. G. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Rev. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. (RH) Ref DA28 .O95. Biographies of deceased individuals who influenced British history and life from the 4th century BC to the 21st century. New profiles added quarterly to the online edition.
Bélanger, Réal. Dictionary of Canadian Biography . 12 vols. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2003. (LC RH) Ref F1005.D52. Biographies of important Canadians who died between the years 1000 and 1930. Search in either English or French.
McGuire, J. I. Dictionary of Irish Biography . 9 vols. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Biographies of deceased Irish men and women who made a significant contribution in Ireland and abroad. New profiles added quarterly to the online edition.
Fischbach, Michael R. Biographical Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. 2 vols. Detroit: Gale Group, c2008. (RH) Ref CT1866 .B56. Biographies of the most influential and controversial figures in the Middle East and North Africa who came to prominence during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Brockman, Norbert C. An African Biographical Dictionary . 2 nd ed. Millerton, NY: Grey House Pub., 2006. (LC RH) Ref DT18 .B76. Biographies of religious and political leaders, business people, educators, athletes, scientists, artists, and others from the continental African nations.
Roszkowski, Wojciech. Biographical Dictionary of Central and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2008. (RH) Ref CT765.S5913. Includes biographies from Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech and Slovak nations, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Moldova, Ukraine, and Yugoslavia’s successor states.
Encyclopedia of World Biography . 17 vols. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. (LC RH) Ref T103.E56. Extensive topic and geographic index. Includes photographs as well as biographies.
Gender / Ethnicity / Race / Sexual Orientation
Who's Who Among African Americans . New York: Gale Research, 1996. Brief profiles of both living and deceased African Americans.
Gates, Henry Louis. African American National Biography. 8 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. (RH) Ref E185.96 A496.
OR
Oxford African American Studies Center . A comprehensive collection of electronic reference books, scholarly articles, and digital archives. One search provides results from all sources. Contains the full-text of all volumes of the African American National Biography.
Meier, Matt S. Notable Latino Americans: A Biographical Dictionary . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997. (LC) Ref E184.S75 M435. Detailed articles of both living and deceased Latino Americans. Professional and Ethnic appendices.
Kim, Hyung-chan. Distinguished Asian Americans . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1999. (LC RH) Ref E184.O6 D57. Detailed articles of both living and deceased Asian American. Professional and Ethnic appendices.
Aldrich, Robert. Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: From Antiquity to World War II. New York: Routledge, 2001. (LC RH) Ref HQ75.2 .W462 2001. Brief biographies of individuals who have had an impact upon gay and lesbian life throughout history.
Markowitz, Harvey. American Indian Biographies. Rev. ed. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2005. (RH) Ref E89 .A46. Brief biographies with bibliographies and some images. Includes tribal maps, timeline, and indices for variant names, tribal affiliations, year of birth, and subject.
Profession / Discipline - Fine and Performing Arts
Turner, Jane. Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. New York: Grove's Dictionaries, 1996. (LC RH) Ref N31 .D5. A multi-volume set with biographies of artists from all periods and countries.
OR
Grove Art Online . Oxford, England: Oxford University Press,1998. Includes the full text of Dictionary of Art, as well as regular updates (three times per year). Articles are written by scholars and specialists, and are peer reviewed.
Bénézit, E. Dictionary of Artists.14 vols.Paris: Gründ, 2006. (LC RH) Ref N40 .B47. Includes brief biographical profiles as well as bibliographies, museum & gallery collections of note, selected auction records and artist signature reproductions.
Slonimsky, Nicolas. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. 6 vols. Centennial ed.New York: Schirmer Books, 2001. (LC, RH) Ref ML105 .B3. Biographies of musicians, living and deceased, contemporary and classical.
Sadie, Stanley. New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed. 29 vols. New York: Grove's Dictionaries, 2001. (LC RH) Ref ML100.N48.
OR
Grove Music Online . New York: Oxford University Press. Includes the full texts of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed. (2001), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (1992), and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed. (2002), as well as regular updates. Articles are written by scholars and specialists, and are peer reviewed.
Unterburger, Amy L. The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia : Women on the Other Side of the Camera . Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1999. Brief biographies and filmographies, some photos.
Benbow-Pfalzgraf, Taryn. International Dictionary of Modern Dance. Detroit, MI: St. James Press, 1998. (LC RH) Ref GV1585.I58. Brief Biographies, lists of roles danced, bibliographies, and photos.
Profession / Discipline - Business & Industry
Schlager, Neil. International Directory of Business Biographies.4 vols. Detroit: St. James Press, 2005. (RH) Ref HC29.I57. Biographies of contemporary business leaders from multinational corporations.
Smith, Roger. Inventions and Inventors . Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2002. (LC RH) Ref T20.I59. Articles recounting the history of inventions with biographical information about the inventors who contributed to their design and production. Includes a timeline (1900-2000), an industry index for inventions, and a combined subject/name index.
Schweikart, Larry. Encyclopedia of American Business History and Biography: Banking and Finance to 1913.New York: Facts on File, 1990. (LC RH) Ref HG2461 .B33. Biographies have bibliographies, location of archives, and lists of publications when relevant.
Lane, A. T. Biographical Dictionary of European Labor Leaders . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1995. (RH) Ref HD8377.A1 B56. Brief biographies with bibliographies, also an appendix of labor leaders by state and by national/ethnic group.
Profession / Discipline - Government, Law, Military
Katz, Bernard S. Biographical Dictionary of the United States Secretaries of the Treasury, 1789-1995 . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996. Lengthy biographical articles with bibliographies and economic analysis.
Tanenhaus, David Spinoza. Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States . Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008
AND
American Law Yearbook. Detroit: Thomson Gale. These two sources contain some biographical articles about justices, nominees, and significant theorists.
Grossman, Mark. World Military Leaders: A Biographical Dictionary . New York, NY: Facts On File, 2007. Brief biographies indexed by personal name and by war.
Profession / Discipline - Literature
Dictionary of Literary Biography . Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1978 - . (RH) Ref PS2 .D5
AND
Contemporary Authors . Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1962 - . (RH) Ref PS2.C6. These two sources are combined into one database which provides biographical, bibliographical, and analytical information on writers in fiction, general nonfiction, poetry, journalism, drama, motion pictures, television and other fields. Includes living and deceased writers from all fields and all nations. One interface searches all volumes of both series.
Profession / Discipline - Science
Nemeh, Katherine H., ed. American Men and Women of Science . 24th ed. 8 Vols. Detroit: Gale, 2008. (RH) Ref Q141 .C4. Lives of living American scientists in all fields including medicine.
Gillispie, Charles Coulston. Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography . 27 vols. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. Lives of famous scientists from all periods and countries.
Profession / Discipline - Social Science
Brown, Stuart C. Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Philosophers . New York: Routledge, 1996. (LC) B104 .B5. Brief biographies with indices for nationality, influences, schools, movements, interests, and topic.
Palmer, Joy. Fifty Major Thinkers on Education: from Confucius to Dewey. and
Palmer, Joy. Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education: from Piaget to the Present. New York: Routledge, 2001. Two electronic books by the same author containing biographical information on a wide variety of educators and educational theorists.
Ritzer, George. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology . 11 vols. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2007. (RH W) Ref HM425 .B53. Contains both historical and contemporary biographies of individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of sociology. Also includes a timeline and an extensive index.
Sheehy, Noel. Biographical Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Routledge, 2002. (RH) Ref BF109.A1 B5. Entries contain biographical information, critical analysis of theories and influences, and include major publications, awards, and employers.
Profession / Discipline - Sports
Porter, David L. Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball . Rev. ed. 3 vols. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000. (RH) Ref GV865.A1 B55. Biographies of Major league players, managers, executives, and umpires, also included are All-American Girls League players.
Markoe, Arnie. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives: Sports Figures. New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. Biographies of athletes from a wide variety of sports including bowling, polo, auto racing, etc. Occupation and subject indices.
Johnson, Rafer. Great Athletes. Rev. ed. 8 vols. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2002. (RH) Ref GV697.A1 G68. Biographies indexed by name, sport, and country; with photos, glossary, awards, halls of fame, and a timeline.
Christensen, Karen. International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. (RH) Ref GV709 .I58. Biographies of women athletes and sports administrators as well as general articles about women and sports.
Religion / Faith / Spirituality
Catholic Almanac. Huntington, Ind.: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1969 - . (LC RH) Ref AY81.R6F8. Biographies of the Pope, Cardinals, American Bishops, and other theological figures.
Anderson, Gerald H.Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions.New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 1998. (RH LC) Ref BV3700 .B56. Brief biographies, including indices for time period, women, martyrs, geographical region of service, agency, order, religious tradition, and type of services provided.
Epstein, Eric Joseph. Dictionary of the Holocaust: Biography, Geography, and Terminology . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997. (LC RH) Ref D804.25 .E67. Includes brief biographies, as well as entries on terms of geographic, historical, or cultural significance.
Skolnik, Fred. Encyclopaedia Judaica. 2nd ed. 22 vols. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. 2007. (LC, RH) Ref DS102.8 .E64. An authoritative and comprehensive encyclopedia containing many biographical entries.
DeLong-Bas, Natana J. Notable Muslims: Muslim Builders of World Civilization and Culture. Oxford: Oneworld, 2006. (RH) Ref BP70 .D45 2006. Biographies of contemporary Muslim men and women from a wide range of professions.
Irons, Edward A. Encyclopedia of Buddhism . New York: Facts on File, 2008. A specialized encyclopedia which includes biographical articles, a chronology, and lists of Zen patriarchs and major dynasties.
Time Period
American Decades: 2000-2009 . and
American Decades: 1900-1999. 10 vols. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research. (LC RH) Ref E169.12 A42. Each ten year volume has a section titled “Headline Makers” that is useful for identifying prominent individuals.
Carney, Jo Eldridge. Renaissance and Reformation, 1500-1620: A Biographical Dictionary . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2001. (RH) CT759 .R46. Brief biographical articles with historic analysis. Includes a chronology, as well indices for discipline and country.
Schulman, Jana K. The Rise of the Medieval World, 500-1300: A Biographical Dictionary. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2002. (RH) Ref CT114 .R57. Brief biographical entries with historic analysis. Includes a chronology as well as bibliographic entries.
Lightman, Marjorie. A to Z of Ancient Greek and Roman Women . New York: Facts On File, 2008. (LC RH) Ref HQ1136 .L54. Brief biographical profiles with bibliographies. Period maps included for reference.
Lee, Lily Xiao Hong. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: Antiquity Through Sui, 1600 B.C.E.- 618 C.E. Armonk, N.Y.: M. E. Sharpe, 2007. (RH) Ref HQ1767.5.A3 B56. Brief authored biographies with bibliographies.
OBITUARIES
Tip: Use obituaries to determine surviving family members, cause of death, and place of burial.
Obituaries , or public death notices, are an excellent source for biographical information on an individual. Obituaries of very famous people may include anecdotes and quotations, and provide a cultural perspective on an individuals’ life. Obituaries of less well known people will only contain a minimal amount of information. Search local and national newspapers and magazines for obituaries for less well known individuals. Use the Fordham library list of Newspaper databases to start your search, or the New York Times Obituaries Index, or use the catalog to look for a specialized index of people who have died, often called a Necrology.
Newspapers Online . Newspaper databases owned by Fordham University libraries. Search using the personal name of the individual and the keyword obituary or document type limit for obituary. Make sure you select a database that covers newspapers for the appropriate time period. There are online databases for both contemporary and historic newspapers.
New York Times Obituaries Index. 1858-1968 & 1969-1978. New York: New York Times, 1970 & 1980. (LC RH) Ref CT213.N47. This Index can be used for accessing New York Times microfilm and the Historical New York Times database. Also available online via Historical New York Times (ProQuest) .
Vazzana, Eugene Michael. Silent Film Necrology. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2001. (RH) Ref N1998.2 .V38. Contains very brief profiles of actors, directors, executives, cinematographers, stunt performers, publicists, composers, inventors, and other figures from the U.S. silent film era.
Riccoboni, Bartolomea. Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the Chronicle and Necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395-1436 . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. (RH) BX4337.5.V46 R53. A history of the convent and reflections on the lives and deaths of the nuns who served there.
Interviews and Articles
Tip: Use a multi-database search for interviews and/or biographical articles about contemporary individuals who have just recently established their notoriety .
Looking for biographical information about someone who is recently in the news, but not historically established as a notable individual? Try a multi-database search with the name of the person as a keyword, plus the word biography or biographical or interview as another keyword.
Multi-Database Search. One search provides results from all sources, or from a selected list of sources. Make sure to use the keyword biography or interview along with the personal name.
Example: “Esperanza Spalding” AND Biography
Internet Sites
Tip: Always try to select sources where the author is clearly noted, and a bibliography is provided.
Free websites can be the least authoritative and least accurate place to look for biographical information, but some contain unique information and thus are worth noting. These sources are grouped by URL ending.
.Gov websites
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774-Present. Hosted by the United States Congress, this database may be searched by name, year, state, political party, and/or position.
Presidents of the United States of America. Hosted by the White House, this database contains only brief anecdotal biographies.
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments . Hosted by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), this database contains only the names and dates of service for individuals. A supplementary source is required for full biographical information.
New York State Assembly Members . Hosted by the New York State Assembly, this database contains biographical information as well as video, news, sponsored legislation, committee membership, publications, and maps. The information is presented to promote the politician.
The Official Website of the British Monarchy . The official website of the British monarchy, it contains biographical information, a family tree, as well as information about the activities, interests, and events which occupy the British royalty.
.Org websites
Schomburg Center - African American Women Writers of the 19th Century . This digital collection from the New York Public Library Schomburg Center provides full-text, keyword search access to the autobiographical writing of 52 historic African American women writers.
Baseball Hall of Fame . Hosted by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, this website may be searched by name, position, league, state, and year.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Hosted by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this website provides lists of inductees sorted by name and by year. Group biographies are provided for bands.
Academy of American Poets . Hosted by the Academy of American Poets, this website provides brief biographies of poets, as well as the full-text of selected poems.
.Edu websites
Australian Dictionary of Biography . Created by the Australian National University, this comprehensive database is an excellent source for biographical information on Australian nationals and the indigenous people who historically populated that region.
.Com websites
Biography.com . A commercial website with brief biographies, photographs, and links to related websites. Many advertisements.
Encyclopedia of World Biography . This website may be searched by name and keyword. It provides brief biographies with bibliographies and photos. Many advertisements.
Forbes Lists of Wealth: World’s Billionaires & Forbes 400 . These lists provide a snapshot of wealth in the world and in the USA. The website provides brief biographies as well a relevant business news and wealth data.
Guides & Bibliographies
Guides are wonderful tools for the comprehensive researcher. These sources may lead to items not held by the Fordham University libraries. If so, please ask the Reference Librarian for assistance obtaining access to the source either through inter-library loan or via a pass to visit another library.
ARBA Guide to Biographical Resources 1986-1997 . Libraries Unlimited, 1998. (RH) Ref CT 103.A82. A guide to biographical reference sources. Please check the library catalog for the most recent edition of the sources listed.
Bibliographies are lists of books or information sources. Sources that contain both biographical and bibliographic information are often indexed with the term bio-bibliography. When searching the catalog for these items, use the basic keyword search for the truncated search term bio-bibliograph$ and limit by subject.
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