African American history comes to the digital age
Where to find it: African American History month –
www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov
Who runs the site: The site is one of many run by the Library of
Congress, and it collects images, audio and information from a
variety of sources such as the National Archives and Records
Administration, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park
Service, Smithsonian Institution, and others, in honor of African
American history month.
Who is likely to use the site: The site is a great resource for
students, teachers or history buffs interested in learning more
about the struggle for the rights of citizenship.
African American history comes to the digital age
Where to find it: African American History month – www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov
Who runs the site: The site is one of many run by the Library of Congress, and it collects images, audio and information from a variety of sources such as the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and others, in honor of African American history month.
Who is likely to use the site: The site is a great resource for students, teachers or history buffs interested in learning more about the struggle for the rights of citizenship.
Pros: One of the best things about this site is that it is well designed and easy to navigate. The front page of the site has a minimalist approach with plenty of white space around the edges. The top of the page explains the theme for this year’s African American history month, which is the quest for black citizenship in the Americas. According to the site, the theme “recognizes the endeavors of African Americans to unite a nation, bringing equality and social justice to all.”
The photo slideshow to the right quickly makes sense as it rotates through images of noteworthy African American citizens, starting with President Barack Obama. Other images include artists such as Langston Hughes, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis and those involved in the civil rights movement such as Martin Luther King Jr.
The site has a variety of different resources from images to audio and video, but it has an easy to use left side navigation bar that allows users to quickly click from one section to another. There is even a link for teachers that allows access to documents and images they can use in teaching students about the civil rights movement.
Cons: Part of the front page is giving over to a list of events associated with African American History Month, but since the events take place in Washington, D.C., they aren’t pertinent to most users.
