Gov Docs: Tuskegee Airmen

I'm back! Did anybody miss me? If you did, I apologize for my absence but I'm back and fully intend to send great resources your way OFTEN. So here we go...

First up in 2012, Government Documents about the Tuskegee Airmen! I love government documents. Many people think they are boring and only for politicians or government workers. But, in reality, they can be quite interesting and readable. Many are produced solely for us - the citizens of the U.S. Yes, you kind of have to dig for these but that's what's so great about the resource I'm about to show you.

Paula L. Webb, the Reference & Electronic Resources Government Documents Librarian at the University of South Alabama, has done all the digging for us and produced a wonderful list of resources about the Tuskegee Airmen - and just in time for Black History Month. The list includes a timeline of African Americans in the military, bibliographies of books, documents and articles on the subject, factsheets, commentaries, and online exhibits. There was at least one broken link - Legends of Tuskegee Online Exhibit @ National Park Service did not work for me but I believe this link will take you to the correct site.

I recommend this for high school students and teachers at lower levels to cull out information for their students.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a "nonprofit organization supporting the study and love of American history through a wide range of programs and resources for students, teachers, scholars, and history enthusiasts throughout the nation" and their website is a treasure trove of resources. So many, in fact, that I probably won't be able to mention all the wonders I explored. I was led to this site by its information on the abolitionist John Brown and, once I started exploring, I was hooked. Online exhibits, teachable documents, curriculum modules, podcasts, and (my favorite thing) a quarterly online journal (History Now). The journal, all by itself, is wondrous. It contains articles; lesson plans for High School, Middle School, and Elementary School; and interactive modules you can use with students. My mind was just whirling with ways to use this site in the classroom. So check this one out. You won't be disappointed.