LibGuides: Abakanowicz Research Center: Online Resources

Databases

These resources can only be accessed on-site.

Chicago Sun-Times Historical Archive This link opens in a new window
Full-text of the Chicago Sun-times and its predecessors, the Daily Times and the Chicago Sun, from 1929-1985
Chicago Tribune and Chicago Defender This link opens in a new window
Full-text of the historical Chicago Tribune and historical Chicago Defender.
EBSCO Research Databases
Harpweek
Full-text online of Harper's Weekly from 1857-1912.
HeinOnline Social Justice Suite This link opens in a new window
Includes access to the following resources: Civil Rights and Social Justice; Gun Regulation and Legislation in America; Slavery in America and the World; Open Society Justice Initiative; LGBTQ+ Rights.
Historical Statistics of the United States
ProQuest History Vault
Primary sources available full-text online. Includes the Claude A. Barnett Papers, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters records, the African American Police League records, and the Rev. J.H. Jackson papers.

ARCHIE, Chicago History Museum's online catalog
Searches the published material, archival material, and photograph collections of the Chicago History Museum. Searchable from outside the museum.
WorldCat
Catalog of OCLC member libraries (CHM is a member). Can only be accessed on-site.
WorldCat.org
Free version of OCLC's WorldCat. Searchable outside the museum.
National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC)
Free version of OCLC's WorldCat that only searches manuscript collections. Searchable outside the museum.

Black Metropolis Research Consortium portal
Online portal to collections on the Black experience held by libraries, museums, archives, and other organizations in the Chicago area
Explore Chicago Collections
Online portal to Chicago-related archival material and digital images of Chicago Collections member institutions.

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) This link opens in a new window
The Digital Public Library of America is a US project aimed at providing public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library.

Below are links to online resources for common history fair topics.

Search the online Encyclopedia of Chicago for background and primary source materials.

The resources listed below are proprietary to the museum and can only be accessed on-site in the Research Center.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
Block-by-block outlines of buildings located on a given street at a specific time in the city of Chicago. The digital set shows maps from 1894 to 1951. This resource is only available on-site in the Research Center.
Sanborn Maps of Illinois, 1867-1970
This collection covers Sanborn maps in Illinois, not just Chicago.This resource is only available on-site.
Chicago City Directories
Searches the years 1844, 1851, 1859, 1860, 1861-62, 1862-63, 1863-64, 1864, 1865, 1866-67, 1867-68, 1871, 1873, 1881, 1890, 1910, 1917. Check with the Research Center for print holdings.