Biographical Sources
Prepared by K. Townsend
September, 2003
BIOGRAPHICAL DATABASES
To find biographical journal articles, go to General & Multidisciplinary Databases, and scroll down to the biographical database you desire. Below are several databases that could be useful to your search.
BGMI: Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Also in print: 1980-1990 [Reference Row H].
A comprehensive index to biographical sketches in over 3,000 current and retrospective reference works. Covers living and deceased individuals worldwide from every field of activity. BGMI indexes only multiple biographies; it does not index periodical articles or books about a single person.
Biography Index. Online: 1984 to date, In print: 1946-1996 [Reference Row H].
Indexes English-language materials found in periodicals, individual and collective biographical books, obituaries in the New York Times , and other sources.
Biography Resource Center + The Complete Marquis Who's Who.
A comprehensive list of information on more than one million people worldwide from prehistory to the present. Includes biographical sketches from the Marquis Who's Who series (see below for list). Full-text articles from 250 periodicals are available, as are lists of selected websites. A portrait (which can be enlarged) accompanies each profile result.
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe: Biographical Information Search Form.
Gives full-text background information on persons living or deceased worldwide. Most of the material is taken from periodicals, which makes it a good companion to BGMI (above).
Combines the biographical information in three standard reference works: Contemporary Authors (described below), Dictionary of Literary Biography (described below), and Contemporary Literary Criticism. Covers fiction and nonfiction; entries are detailed and carry links to additional sites.
BIOGRAPHIES IN PRINT
To find biographical books on an individual, go to Advanced Search Screen of the Libraries of the USF System Online Catalog. Enter the person's name in the first Keyword box: Lastname [no comma] Firstname. In the second box, type the word: biography. To limit the search to Poynter Library, open the Location box at the bottom of the screen, and click on St. Petersburg Campus.
General Biographical Sources
| American National Biography 24v. | REF CT213 .A68 1999 |
The successor to the DAB , is more inclusive and diverse than its predecessor, with entries on blacks, women, and others who influenced "the history, social fabric, and culture of our nation." The ANB covers Americans deceased prior to 1996.
| Dictionary of National Biography 22v. + 10 supp. | REF DA28 .D47 |
Covers the persons deceased prior to the 20 th century from the British Isles and Colonies, including pre-Revolutionary America.
| Dictionary of American Biography 10v. + 10 supp. | REF E176 .D563 |
Covers the persons deceased prior to the 20 th century from the United States , including noteworthy persons who lived in the territories prior to the Revolution. In all three, articles are lengthy, signed, and carry full bibliographies.
| Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th ed. 2v. | REF CS420 .B82 1999 |
A list of the British (including Scotland and Ireland ) peerage with entries arranged alphabetically by family title. The coat of arms for each house is illustrated and described. Gives a brief account of the present title holder and a history of the lineage. Index of living persons mentioned in the contents located at the back of volume two.
| Chambers Biographical Dictionary | REF CT103 .C4 1997 |
Short entries, usually with a small list of sources. Heavily weighted to 20 th century figures. The U.S. edition, titled Cambridge Biographical Dictionary [REF CT103 .C4 1990], carries fewer entries with no source list at the end.
| Contemporary Authors | REF Z1224 .C6 |
Also online at the Literature Resource Center. Gives current biographical information on fiction and nonfiction writers internationally. A series of revisions update and revise entries. A separate paper index is provided, and it is a necessity for locating a name.
| Current Biography 1940 to date | REF CT100 .C8 |
Annual publication. Includes about 150 lengthy biographical entries per volume, each with a portrait and a list of references to sources for further information. Each volume carries a cumulative index to all preceding volumes for ten-year periods.
| Dictionary of Literary Biography | REF PS221 .D5 |
Also online at the Literature Resource Center. Each volume in this series is devoted to a single theme, time period, or geographic area. Because of this single focus approach, an author may appear in more than one volume. A cumulative index appears at the back of each volume and must be used to locate a person.
| International Dictionary of 20th Century Biography | REF CT103 .V38 1987 |
Short entries give convenient and balanced coverage of over 5,500 living and deceased individuals who achieved celebrity in this century. Succinct references to book-length biographies follow.
| McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biograph 17v. | REF CT103 .M27 |
Signed essays with accompanying illustrations are followed by an annotated list of further readings. The final volume contains an index.
| National Cyclopaedia of American Biography 50v. | REF E176 .N2813 |
Each volume in this set, started 100 years ago, is grouped individually and is not in alphabetical order. The general cumulative index must be used to locate a person. Only persons living at the time of compilation are included. The set is considered the most comprehensive work of American biography; it is less limited and selective than the DAB (see above) but also is less scholarly.
| St. James Guide to Biography | REF CT21 .S68 1991 |
"Signed articles with bibliographies that review the biographical literature on more than 700 persons . . . about whom more than one full-dress biography has been written." Alphabetically arranged by the subject of the biography; includes a brief sketch of the individual.
| Something About the Author. Multivolume | REF PN452 .S6 |
Provides biographical information about authors and illustrators of books for young people. A cumulative index is located at the back of every other volume and must be used to find an entry.
SUBJECT SPECIFIC BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
The Who's Who Series, a group of contemporary biographies, gives concise personal data prepared according to an established format. A person must be living at the time of publication to be included. Various publishers have attached the "Who's Who" title to their works; however, the most authoritative titles are issued by the original Marquis Company in Chicago . Some of the USF/SP holdings in the Who's Who series, along with other subject biographies are listed below by topical area. Additional material on children's writers and illustrators may be found in the reference section under the classification PN1009 .A1
Art and Architecture
| Artists from Latin American Cultures: A Biographical Dictionary | REF N6502.5 .C657 2002 |
| Contemporary Women Artists | REF N8354 .C66 1999 |
| A Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes | REF NX456 .K67 2000 |
| Encyclopedia of Artists | REF N31 .E53 2000 |
| Latin American and Caribbean Artists of the Modern Era | REF N6502.4 .S45 2003 |
| The Prestel Dictionary of Art and Artists in the 20th Century | REF N6490 .P72 2000 |
| The Wallflower Critical Guide to Contemporary North American Directors | REF PN1998.2 .W44 2000 |
| Who's Who in American Art. 1978 to date | REF N6536 .W5 |
Commerce
| A to Z of American Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs | REF HD6054.4.U6 S5 2002 |
| American Inventors, Entrepreneurs, and Business Visionaries | REF CT214 .C29 2002 |
| The Biographical Dictionary of Management . 2v. | REF HD30.15 .B43 2001 |
| Distinguished Asian American Business Leaders | REF HC102.5.A2 H56 2003 |
| Wall Street People | REF HG172.A2 E443 2001 |
| Who's Who in the Management Sciences | REF T55.8 .W46 2000 |
Education
| Biographical Dictionary of American Educators. 3 v. | REF LA2311 .B54 |
| Biographical Dictionary of Modern American Educators | REF LA2311 .O55 1997 |
| Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education: From Piaget to the Present | REF LB17 .F57 2001 |
| Who's Who in American Education. 1994-95 | REF LA2311 .W47 |
| Women Educators in the United States , 1820-1993 | REF LA2311 .W65 1994 |
Literature
| African American Authors, 1745-1945 | REF PS153.N5 A32 2000 |
| African-American Writers: A Dictionary | REF PS153.N5 A3444 2000 |
| American Women Writers, 1900-1945 | REF PS151 .A45 2000 |
| American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies. 12 v. | REF PA129 .A55 |
| Asian American Novelists | REF PS153.A84 A825 2000 |
| British Writers. 12 v. | REF PR85 .B688 |
| Contemporary American Women Poets | REF PS151 .C665 2002 |
| Contemporary American Women Fiction Writers | REF PS374.W6 C66 2002 |
| Cyclopedia of World Authors. 5 v. | REF PN451 .M36 1997 |
| Latin American Writers | REF PQ7081 .A1L37 1989 |
| Notable American Novelists | REF PS371 .N68 2000 |
| Whodunit?: A Who's Who in Crime & Mystery Writing | REF PN3448.D4 H37 2003 |
| Who's Who of Pulitzer Prize Winners | REF AS911.P8 B74 1999 |
| Who's Who of Twentieth Century Novelists | REF PN3503 .W66 |
Music
| Blues Who's Who | REF ML102 .B6H3 |
| Composers Since 1900 | REF ML390 .E833 |
| Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music | REF ML105 .H38 1996 |
| International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory. 1977, 1985, 1994/95 | REF ML106 .G7W45 |
| New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 20 v. | REF ML100 .N48 1980 |
| Popular American Composers | REF ML390 .E845 |
Mythology
| Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Greek and Roman Women | REF HQ1136 .L54 2000 |
| Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World | REF HQ1127 .S25 2001 |
| Who's Who in the Greek World | REF DE7 .H39 2000 |
Philosophy
| Biographical Dictionary of Marxism | REF HX23 .B568 1986 |
| Biographical Dictionary of Neo-Marxism | REF HX23 .B57 1985 |
| Biographical Dictionary of Transcendentalism | REF B905 .B56 1996 |
| Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Philosophers | REF B104 .B56 1996 |
| Fifty Major Philosophers | REF B72 .C59 1987 |
Religion
| Dictionary of American Religious Biography | REF BL72 .B68 1993 |
| Dictionary of Angels | REF BL477 .D3 |
| Men and Women of the Bible: A Reader's Guide | REF BS571 .T57 2002 |
| Oxford Dictionary of Popes | REF BX955.2 .K45 1986 |
| Oxford Dictionary of Saints | REF BX4659 .G7F37 |
Science
| A to Z of Chemists | REF QD21 .O34 2002 |
| American Environmental Leaders | REF GE55 .B43 2000 |
| American Men & Women of Science. Multivolume. 1965 to date | REF Q141 .A4 |
| The Biographical Dictionary of Scientists | REF Q141 .B528 2000 |
| The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science | REF Q141 .B5285 2000 |
| Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20 th Century | REF Q141 .D535 1996 |
| The Nobel Scientists: A Biographical Encyclopedia | REF Q141 .K78 2002 |
| Who's Who in the Media and Communications. 1998-99 | REF P92.5 .A1W465 |
U.S. History
| Biographical Dictionary of American Indian History to 1900 | REF E89 .W35 2001 |
| Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy | REF E467 .W2 |
| Encyclopedia of American War Heroes | REF E181 .N88 2002 |
| Who Was Who in the Civil War | REF E467 .S56 1988 |
U.S. Law
| Justices of the Supreme Court: Their Lives and Major Opinions. 5 v. | REF KF8744 .F75 |
| Supreme Court Justices: Illustrated Biographies, 1789-1993 | REF KF8744 .S86 1993 |
| Who's Who in American Law. 1977 to date | REF KF353 .W62 |
U.S. Politics and Government
| A to Z of American Women Leaders and Activists | REF HQ1412 .L36 2002 |
| American Political Leaders | REF E176 .W75 2002 |
| American Political Scientists | REF JA61 .A525 2002 |
| American Social Leaders and Activists | REF HV27 .H345 2002 |
| The Citizen Action Encyclopedia: Groups and Movements that have Changed America | REF JS303.5 .H35 2002 |
| Biographical Dictionary of the American Left | REF HX84 .A2B56 1986 |
| Burke's Presidential Families of the United States of America | REF E176.1 .B8 |
| Encyclopedia of the United States Cabinet | REF E176 .G89 2000 |
| Jews in American Politics | REF E184.36.P64 J49 2001 |
| The Presidents | REF E176.1 .P918 1996 |
| Who's Who in American Politics 1971 to date | REF E176 .W6424 |
U.S. Society and Culture
| African American Biographies | REF E185.96 .H38 1992 |
| The African-American Century | REF E185.96 .G38 2000 |
| American Orators Before 1900 | REF PN4055 .U5A4 1987 |
| American Orators of the Twentieth Century | REF PN4193 .P6A44 1987 |
| Biographical Dictionary of American Newspaper Columnists | REF PN4871 .B57 1995 |
| Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Basketball and Other Indoor Sports | REF GV697 .A1B494 1989 |
| Cavalcade of Journalists 1900-2000: Chroniclers of an American Century | REF PN4871 .H27 2002 |
| Contemporary Theatre, Film, and Television 21 v. | REF PN2285 .C58 |
| Dictionary of American Temperance Biography | REF HV5292.8 .L46 1984 |
| International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers 4 v. | REF PN1997.8 .I58 1997 |
| Notable American Philanthropists: Biographies of Giving and Volunteering | REF HV27 .N68 2002 |
| Notable Asian Americans | REF E184 .O6N67 1995 |
| Notable Black American Women 2 v. | REF E185.96 .N8 1992. |
| Notable Latino Americans | REF E184 .S75M35 1997 |
| Twentieth-Century Journalists: America 's Opinionmakers | REF PN4871 .H277 2002 |
| Who's Who Among African Americans. 1996-97 | REF E185.96 .W45 |
| Who's Who in America 1964 to date | REF E176 .W642 |
| Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History: From Antiquity to WWII | REF HQ75.2 .W47 2001 |
| Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History: From WWII to the Present Day | REF HQ75.2 .W46 |
| Who's Who in the Midwest 1969 to date | REF CT213 .W45 |
| Who's Who in the South and Southwest 1976 to date | REF F208 .W64 |
| Who's Who in the West. 1976 to date | REF CT213 .W5 |
Women
| A to Z of Women in World History | REF CT3202 .K84 2002 |
| Amazons to Fighter Pilots: A Biographical Dictionary of Military Women | REF U52 .A44 2003 |
| American Women in Science. (focuses on 19 th & early 20 th centuries) | REF Q141 .B25 1994 |
| American Women in Science: 1950 to Present | REF Q141 .B254 1998 |
| A Biographical Dictionary of Women Healers: Midwives, Nurses, and Physicians | REF R692 .B52 2002 |
| Extraordinary Women of the Medieval and Renaissance World | REF HQ1143 .E93 2000 |
| First Ladies: A Biographical Dictionary | REF E176.2 .S36 2001 |
| Historical Encyclopedia of American Women Entrepreneurs: 1776 to the Present | REF HF3023.A2 O64 2000 |
| Native American Women | REF E98.W8 B38 2001 |
| Notable Women in American History | REF CT3260 .A27 1999 |
| Notable Twentieth-Century Latin American Women | REF CT3290 .N68 2001 |
| Women Astronauts | REF TL539 .W675 2002 |
| Women in Communication | REF P94.5 .W65W667 1996 |
| Women in Medicine: An Encyclopedia | REF R692 .W545 2002 |
| Who's Who of American Women 1972 to date | REF CT3260 .W5 |
World
| An African Biographical Dictionary | REF DT18 .B76 1994 |
| Dictionary of Canadian Biography 14 v. | REF F1005 .D49 |
| Encyclopedia of Heads of States and Governments, 1900 through 1945 | REF D412 .L45 1999 |
| The Magic Zone: Sketches of the Nobel Laureates | REF AS911.N9 G86 2003 |
| The Nobel Peace Prize and the Laureates: An Illustrated Biographical History, 1901-2001 | REF JZ5540 .A27 |
| Political Leaders of Modern China : A Biographical Dictionary | REF DS755.3 .P64 2002 |
| Renaissance and Reformation, 1500-1620: A Biographical Dictionary | REF CT759 .R46 2001 |
| Slovak Biographical Dictionary | REF CT949 .R4613 2002 |
| Who's Who. [principally British] 1968-1993 | REF DA28 .W6 |
| Who Was Who. [deceased persons selected from the above title] 1897-1995 | REF DA28 .W65 |
| Who's Who in the East. 1977 to date | REF CT213 .W43 |
| Who's Who in Europe , 1450-1750 | REF D106 .K36 |
| Who's Who of Nobel Prize Winners. 1901-1995 | REF PR3325 .B65 1995 |
| Who's Who in Russia Since 1900 | REF CT1203 .M37 1997 |
| Who's Who in the Middle Ages | REF CT114 .S56 |
| Who's Who in the World. 1971 to date | REF CT120 .W5 |
| Who's Who in World War One | REF D507 .B67 |