In general, you should not cite reference sources in college-level assignments because they are summaries of original research and not the original research itself. If this is the case, when and how should you use them? Use them if you need to get a quick overview of a topic, want to get a timeline of events, need biographical information on an individual or are seeking major works on a topic (which are often cited in the bibliography). Try the reference databases below as alternatives to Wikipedia.
To find companions, handbooks, or bibliographies related to African American Studies you can use library search; however, individual articles can be hard to find. Also try searching the portals to these resources below.
Oxford Bibliographies, annotated bibliographies that provide a gateway to research in particular subfields of African American Studies.
Cambridge Companions, guides to various African American Studies topics.
Routledge Handbooks, book-length companions to various topics.
Oxford Handbooks, reviews of scholarly literature.
Annual Reviews Online, reviews of scholarly literature in the sciences and social sciences.