Research Resources:
Electronic Reference Sources:
Biography
Universal
Biographical Dictionary
Covers notable men and women from ancient times to the present day. Searchable by name, birth year, death year, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, achievements, and other keywords.
Biographies
The Internet Public Library's collection of links to biographical resources on the web.
Biography Collection Complete [Rutgers Restricted]
Part of the JerseyClicks database collection, this resource offers a comprehensive collection of full-text biographies supporting history, science, the arts, music, literature, multicultural studies, gender studies, business, government & politics, sports, entertainment and many other areas.
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
Part of Chambers Reference Online, a free searchable version of the 1997 edition of the title covering international figures in areas such as the arts, science, technology, sport, politics, philosophy and business. Select Chambers Biographical Dictionary from the pull-down menu.
Current Biography [Rutgers Restricted]
Full text biographies and obituaries from all of the volumes of Current Biography Yearbook, from 1940 to the present. Coverage focuses on "living leaders in all fields of human accomplishment," including politics, science, the arts and entertainment, sports, and business.
Encyclopedia of World Biography [Rutgers Restricted]
"A multicultural biographical source that covers notable individuals from every part of the world and from all time periods who have made significant contributions to human culture."
Four supplementary volumes are linked separately.
A freely accessible version of the 23 volume set plus supplements is also available.
Find a Grave
Indexes the graves of noteworthy people and is searchable by name, location, date, or claim to fame.
HyperHistory Online
Lifelines of important persons from their date of birth to their date of death; timelines for major civilizations; and year-by-year listings of important events in science, culture, and politics. Includes maps and links to short encyclopedia-like entries on people, places, movements, and events in history. Select People to retrieve lifelines and biographical information.
InfoPlease Almanac: Biography
Search page for biographies from a variety of almanacs, a dictionary, and other sources.
Marquis Who’s Who on the Web [Rutgers Restricted]
Brief biographical information in directory format from more than 20 Marquis titles including Who’s Who in America and its regional volumes, Who’s Who in Business and Finance and other volumes covering professions, Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in American Politics, and Who’s Who in American History (featuring all of the biographies from the Who Was Who in America volumes from 1607-1985).
Omnibiography.com
A searchable directory of more than 100,000 biographies on the web.
Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s [Rutgers Restricted]
"Biographical sketches of 647 figures -- from the artists and writers to the politicians and military figures, the reformers and the criminals -- who flourished during the tumultuous 1960s. The signed entries, written by scholars, begin with a brief summary of the person's chronology and important accomplishments and is followed by a narrative of the subject's life. The focus is specifically on activities during the 1960s, although other key points are also mentioned."
Who2
Browse alphabetically, or search for specific names, to find brief biographical profiles plus links to Web sites relating to famous people.
World Biographical Index [Rutgers Restricted]
Provides short biographical entries on more than 5 million people from the 8th century B.C. to the present. Also serves as an index to the more complete articles in K.G. Saur's Biographical Archives collections compiled from international biographical reference works published from the 16th to 21st century.
African Americans
African American Registry
Searchable by category, keyword, or name, the Registry includes biographical information on African American historical figures.
Black Americans in Congress
Produced by the U.S. House of Representatives and "based on the book Black Americans in Congress, 1870–2007, contains biographical profiles of former African-American Members of Congress, links to information about current black Members, essays on institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of African Americans in Congress, and images of each individual Member, supplemented by other historical photos."
Online Encyclopedia: African American History, People
Part of BlackPast.org, this site provides short biographies of individuals who "have contributed to the shaping of African American history." Entries are brief, but each includes a citation to the source from which the information was obtained.
Art, Music, Entertainment, Fashion, and Sports
All Music Guide
A free database of biographical and discographical information on musical performers and recordings from every era and genre. Links to similar All Classical, All Movie, and All Game guides.
Contemporary Authors [Rutgers Restricted]
Provides complete biographical and bibliographical information and references on U.S. and international authors, including playwrights.
Contemporary Fashion [Rutgers Restricted]
"A reference book covering individual designers and fashion houses that have been active throughout the 20th and 21st centuries." 2nd edition. A freely accessible version is also available.
Contemporary Musicians
Biographical information with selected discographies. Based on the Thomson Gale print publication of the same name.
Dead People Server
An alphabetical list, which often includes dates, cause of death and claim to fame, of "celebrities who are, or might plausibly be dead."
Grove Music Online [Rutgers Restricted]
Browse alphabetically or search for articles on all aspects of music, including biographies of musicians. Bibliographic citations and related links are also searchable.
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers [Rutgers Restricted]
"Features thorough coverage of legendary films, actors, actresses, directors, writers, and other production artists through detailed essays and commentary by experts. Entries include biographies, filmographies, comprehensive credits, production information, major awards, and bibliographies." Electronic version of the 4 volume 4th edition of the print resource. A freely accessible version is also available.
Internet Broadway Database (IBDB)
The official database for Broadway theater information, including records of productions from the beginnings of NewYork theatre until today, information on pertinent people, interesting facts, and production statistics.
Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
A extensive free database of information on movies and TV titles, plus actors and actresses; directors; and others involved with film.
Literature Resource Center [Rutgers Restricted]
Searchable database of author biographies, bibliographies and literary criticism; covering more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, playwrights, and other writers. Also includes Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature.
Notable Sports Figures [Rutgers Restricted]
"Biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events."
Oxford (Grove) Art Online [Rutgers Restricted]
An online version of The Grove Dictionary of Art and the The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Browse alphabetically or search for articles on all aspects of art, including biographies of painters, sculptors, graphic artists, architects, furniture makers, ceramists, photographers, illuminators, calligraphers, patrons, collectors, agents, dealers, and more. Most entries include bibliographies and links to related articles.
UXL Graphic Novelists [Rutgers Restricted]
"Introduces researchers to the authors and illustrators behind these works, taking care to define and explore the distinction between comic books and graphic novels." Electronic version of the 3 volume print resource.
Business and Economics
Business: Biographical Resources RU Libraries Subject Research Guide
Includes the major biographical works covering business and industry leaders as well as a list of selected directories and Websites in specific business areas.
Literature
American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present [Rutgers Restricted]
An electronic version of the 4 volume resource containing "biographical and critical essays on 1,328 American women writers covering all genres and all periods of American history."
Celebration of Women Writers
Provides a comprehensive listing of links to biographical and bibliographical information about women writers, plus links to complete published books written by women, spanning 3000 BC to the present, and more than 125 countries.
Contemporary Authors [Rutgers Restricted]
Provides complete biographical and bibliographical information and references on U.S. and international authors, including playwrights.
Literature Online [Rutgers Restricted]
Includes biographical entries for more than 4,000 authors.
Literature Resource Center [Rutgers Restricted]
Searchable database of author biographies, bibliographies and literary criticism; covering more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, playwrights, and other writers. Also includes Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature.
Nobel Prize Internet Archive
Chronological and alphabetical lists of all the winners in each category, plus annotations, background information, and links to related pages.
Reference Guide to Holocaust Literature [Rutgers Restricted]
"Provides biographical and critical essays on 223 writers connected to or concerned with the Holocaust, as well as separate essays on 307 of their works."
Reference Guide to Short Fiction [Rutgers Restricted]
"Contains biographical and critical essays on 376 of the most important writers of short fiction writing in English worldwide, and 403 separate essays on selected works. Also includes some authors of note who did not write in English, but whose works have been widely translated and are often studied, such as Anton Chekhov and Jean-Paul Sartre. Most authors covered were born after 1750, but a few important figures from earlier periods are included as well." Electronic version of the 2nd edition of the print resource.
Reference Guide to World Literature [Rutgers Restricted]
"Contains biographical and critical essays on authors from throughout the world, as well as essays covering specific work or works of an author, with criticism and analysis of those works." Electronic version of the 2 volume 3rd edition of the print resource.
UXL Graphic Novelists [Rutgers Restricted]
"Introduces researchers to the authors and illustrators behind these works, taking care to define and explore the distinction between comic books and graphic novels." Electronic version of the 3 volume print resource.
National Biographies
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
Includes over 10,000 scholarly biographies of persons who were significant in Australian history.
China Vitae
Biographical information on more than 3000 Chinese leaders in government, politics, the military, education, business, and the media.
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
Search or browse for biographical articles about people who have played an important role in Canadian history.
Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome
A summary guide to the Dictionary of National Biography published from 1885 to 1901. Names of notable figures from British history are listed here in alphabetical order along with the leading facts and dates from the original work and references to the volume and page where the full article appears.
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
Contains over 3,000 biographies of New Zealanders who have 'made their mark' on the country. It does not include people who are alive.
100 Faces from Finland – a Biographical Kaleidoscope
Oroginally published as part of Kansallisbiografia, The National Biography of Finland, this selection of 100 biographies in English includes famous national figures, politicians and artists as well as a witch burned at stake and a 18th century bear hunter.
New Jersey
Encyclopedia of New Jersey [Rutgers Restricted]
Signed articles of varying lengths on people, places, events, and other topics relevant to New Jersey history.
Governors of New Jersey, 1664-1974: Biographical Essays
Full-text electronic version of the book published by the New Jersey Historical Commission. Brief biographies of New Jersey governors from the earliest times to present day can be viewed at the National Governors Association site.
Leadership on the Banks: Rutgers' Presidents, 1766–2004
Short biographical sketches of all Rutgers University presidents from Hardenbergh through Lawrence.
New Jersey Women's History
Searchable database with links to biographical and bibliographical information, as well as images and documents about New Jersey women.
Politics, Government, Law, and the Military
American President: an Online Reference Resource
Includes detailed biographies of past and present Presidents and First Ladies.
Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress, 1774-Present
Search by last name, first name, position, state, party, year, or Congress to retrieve brief biographical articles with bibliographies.
Biographies: First Ladies of the United States of America
Includes a complete biography of each First Lady (and/or White House hostess), as well as a bibliography of materials, books, articles, etc. by or about each First Lady, and an historical timeline that spans each First Lady’s life.
Black Americans in Congress
Produced by the U.S. House of Representatives and "based on the book Black Americans in Congress, 1870–2007, contains biographical profiles of former African-American Members of Congress, links to information about current black Members, essays on institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of African Americans in Congress, and images of each individual Member, supplemented by other historical photos."
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
Contains basic facts about Civil War Union and Confederate servicemen, plus related information about regiments, battles, etc. taken from records maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Dictionary of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict [Rutgers Restricted]
"Covers the history of the conflict, going back to the birth of Zionism at the end of the 19th century. The two-volume set covers five Arab-Israeli wars, and provides biographies of political personnel in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and the occupied territories."
First Ladies Gallery U.S. White House
Short biographies taken from the book The First Ladies.
Governors National Governors Association
Brief biographies and contact information for all current U.S. governors. The "Search All Governors" provides advanced search features and information on governors of the past.
Governors of New Jersey, 1664-1974: Biographical Essays
Full-text electronic version of the book published by the New Jersey Historical Commission. Brief biographies of New Jersey governors from the earliest times to present day can be viewed at the National Governors Association site.
Guide to House and Senate Members
Access data concerning House and Senate Members from various publications including: the Congressional Pictorial Directory, Congressional Biographical Directory, and, in the near future, the Congressional Directory.
Judges of the United States Courts
Part of the History of the Federal Judiciary site from the Federal Judicial Center, the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges contains the service record and biographical information for all judges who have served on the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court since 1789. Browse alphabetically or search by name. Click on Judges of the United States Courts to begin.
Legal Biographies
Biographical information and professional highlights of individuals significant to U.S. law. Based on the Thomson Gale print publication, West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 2nd edition.
Medal of Honor U.S. Army Center of Military History
Biographical information on Medal of Honor winners from the Civil War to the present.
Monarchs of Britain
Brief biographical sketches of Britain's Monarchs.
POTUS (Presidents of the United States) Internet Public Library
Background information, election results, cabinet members, notable events, and some points of interest on each of the presidents. Links to biographies; historical documents; audio and video files; and other presidential sites are also included.
Political Graveyard
Brief biographical entries on deceased U.S. politicians, judges, and diplomats. Indexed by name; state; office held or sought; date; and many other categories.
U.S. Civil War Generals
Lists Confederate and Union generals alphabetically, and provides basic biographical information for each.
Women in Congress
Includes biographical profiles as well as historical essays, digitized artifacts, and relevant data.
Religion
Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World [Rutgers Restricted]
"Looks at Islam's role in the modern world, doing so in context of the religion's history and development over the last 13 centuries. Contains thematic articles, biographies of key figures, definitions, illustrations, maps and more." Electronic version of the 2 volume print resource.
Jewish Virtual Library: Biography
An alphabetical index to biographical articles on distinguished Jews, with citations to sources. Includes separate listings for biographies of Jewish women, Rabbis and religious figures, Jewish fashion icons, Jewish Nobel Prize winners, and Jews in sports.
List of Popes
Web versions of articles from the Catholic Encyclopedia on every Pope from St. Peter to St. Pius X.
New Catholic Encyclopedia [Rutgers Restricted]
Articles on persons and subjects related to Catholicism and the humanities, including topics such as abortion, divorce, cloning, and reproductive technologies. Also features biographies of contemporary religious figures, photos, maps, and illustrations. The supplement is the Jubilee Volume focusing "on the pontificate of John Paul II and includes thematic essays that present the man and his work."
Science and Exploration (including Inventors)
4000 Years of Women in Science
Very brief biographical information with some links to related resources and an emphasis on pre-20th century women.
Astronaut Biographies
Provides biographical information on the members of the space flight crews and candidates for future missions in NASA's space flight program.
Biographical Memoirs
From the National Academy of Sciences and "published since 1877, Biographical Memoirs are brief biographies of deceased National Academy of Sciences members, written by those who knew them or their work."
Biographies of Women Mathematicians
Biographical essays with some photos.
Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography [Rutgers Restricted]
"Provides information on the history of science through articles on the professional lives of scientists. All periods of science from classical antiquity to modern times are represented." Electronic version of the 26 volume print resource.
Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography
Brief biographies of more than 1,000 scientific figures.
Inventors About.com
Topics include famous inventors, famous inventions, African Americans, women inventors, and more.
Mathematicians of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Accounts of the lives and works of seventeenth and eighteenth century mathematicians (and some other scientists), adapted from A Short Account of the History of Mathematics by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908).
National Inventors Hall of Fame
Search or browse by name, invention, date of induction, or decade.
Nobel Prize Internet Archive
Chronological and alphabetical lists of all the winners in each category, plus annotations, background information, and links to related pages.
Past Notable Women of Computing and Mathematics
Biographical resources on women throughout history who have made notable contributions to these fields.
Women
300 Women Who Changed the World Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopedia articles may be browsed alphabetically, or by categories based on where they lived, when they lived, or what they did.
4000 Years of Women in Science
Very brief biographical information with some links to related resources and an emphasis on pre-20th century women.
American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present [Rutgers Restricted]
An electronic version of the 4 volume resource containing "biographical and critical essays on 1,328 American women writers covering all genres and all periods of American history."
Biographies: First Ladies of the United States of America
Includes a complete biography of each First Lady (and/or White House hostess), as well as a bibliography of materials, books, articles, etc. by or about each First Lady, and an historical timeline that spans each First Lady’s life.
Biographies of Women Mathematicians
Biographical essays with some photos.
Celebration of Women Writers
Provides a comprehensive listing of links to biographical and bibliographical information about women writers, plus links to complete published books written by women, spanning 3000 BC to the present, and more than 125 countries.
Distinguished Women of Past and Present
Short biographies of distinguished women, indexed by name and field of activity.
Encyclopedia of Women in the American West [Rutgers Restricted]
"Captures the lives of more than 150 women who made their mark from the mid-1800s to the present, contextualizing their experiences and contributions to American society." The encyclopedia "covers nine diverse topical categories: agriculture/ranching, arts and letters, education, entrepreneurs, law, pioneers, public performance, religion, and women's organizations."
Encyclopedia of Women Social Reformers [Rutgers Restricted]
Articles on women reformers from the French Revolution to the second wave of feminism in the 1970s, with a few important contemporary figures.
First Ladies Gallery U.S. White House
Short biographies taken from the book The First Ladies.
National Women's History Museum Biographies
Includes biographies of varying lengths. Some, such as the biography of Clara Barton, include lists of resources for additional information as well as a list of works cited.
New Jersey Women's History
Searchable database with links to biographical and bibliographical information, as well as images and documents about New Jersey women.
Past Notable Women of Computing and Mathematics
Biographical resources on women throughout history who have made notable contributions to these fields.
Women in Congress
Includes biographical profiles as well as historical essays, digitized artifacts, and relevant data.
Women in History: Historical Figures
Biographical information with photos and links to related websites.
Women of the Hall
Brief biographical sketches of women who have been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
