Guides: Washington 101: Print Resources

History & Memory

Lies across America: what our historic sites get wrong by James W. Loewen
Call Number: E159 .L64 1999
ISBN: 1565843444
Publication Date: 1999
There is a great chapter on the Lincoln Memorial in this book. It will definitely have looking at the memorial differently!
History wars: the Enola Gay and other battles for the American past by Edward T. Linenthal and Tom Engelhardt
Call Number: E840.4 .H57 1996
ISBN: 080504387X
Publication Date: 1996
This book centers on the controversy that erupted around the Smithsonian's exhibit about the Enola Gay. It looks at the politics and debate on public memory of history museums. This is great book about public memory AND it happens to take place in DC.
American sacred space by David Chidester and Edward T. Linenthal
Call Number: BL581.U6 A48 1995
ISBN: 0253329159
Publication Date: 1995
This book takes a look at public memory through the concept of Sacred Space. The National Mall in DC is one such space that is examined.
Preserving Memory: The Struggle to Create America's Holocaust Museum by Linenthal, Edward Tabor, 1947-
Call Number: D804.3 .L56 1995
ISBN: 0670860670
Publication Date: 1995
This is another great resource about history and memory, this time focusing on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It takes you behind the scenes of the creation of this museum. It is very informative and at times, very emotional.

NOTE: Catholic University Libraries does not presently have this title, but other WRLC libraries do!

Oral History

Directory of oral history collections by Allen Smith
Call Number: D16.14 .S6 1988
ISBN: 0897743229
Publication Date: 1988
An indexed resources helping you identify relevant oral histories to your research.

General History & Politics Reference Resources

Atlas of American politics, 1960-2000 by J. Clark Archer ... [et al.].
Call Number: G1201.F1 A8 2002
ISBN: 156802665X
Publication Date: 2002
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.

The reference section in Mullen Library is a great place to start your research. These titles will give you a great introduction to many topics related to Washington, DC. Be sure to check out each source's bibliographies to add depth to your sources!

Encyclopedia of the United States in the twentieth century by Stanley I. Kutler, editor in chief ; Robert Dallek, David A. Hollinger, Thomas K. McCraw, associate editors ; Judith Kirkwood, assistant editor.
Call Number: E740.7 .E53 1996
ISBN: 0132105357
Publication Date: 1996
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
Political facts of the United States since 1789 by Erik W. Austin ; with the assistance of Jerome M. Clubb.
Call Number: E183 .A97 1986
ISBN: 0231060947
Publication Date: 1986
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
The Almanac of American history by general editor, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. ; executive editor, John S. Bowman.
Call Number: E174.5 .A45 1983
ISBN: 0399128530
Publication Date: 1993
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
The encyclopedia of American facts and dates by edited by Gorton Carruth and associates.
Call Number: E174.5.C31 E5 1979
ISBN: 0690016697
Publication Date: 1979
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
The encyclopedia of American political history by edited by Paul Finkelman, Peter Wallenstein.
Call Number: E183 .E48 2001
ISBN: 1568025114
Publication Date: 2001
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
The encyclopedia of civil rights in America by editors David Bradley, Shelley Fisher Fishkin.
Call Number: E185.61 .E544 1998
ISBN: 0765680009
Publication Date: 1998
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
Dictionary of American foreign affairs by Stephen A. Flanders, Carl N. Flanders ; cartography by Thomas Nast.
Call Number: E183.7 .F58 1993
ISBN: 0028971469
Publication Date: 1993
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.

Architecture & Maps general reference

AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. by G. Martin Moeller, Jr. ; with an introduction by Francis D. Lethbridge ; William Gordon, photo editor.
Call Number: NA735.W3 M64 2006
ISBN: 0801884675
Publication Date: 1994
The American Institute of Architects is the leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857 and it is based in DC! They know a thing or two about architecture.

Note: This title is currently shelved in the Engineering and Architecture Library, located in Pangborn Hall.
The Architecture of Washington, D.C. by Dunlap Society
Call Number: NA735.W3 A72
Publication Date: 1976-1979
A great resource to begin the process of discovering many of DC's notable buildings.
Washington in maps, 1606-2000 by Iris Miller ; [contributing authors: Timothy Davis ... et al.].
Call Number: G1276.S1 M54 2002
ISBN: 0847824470
Publication Date: 2002
A copy of this book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.

The inside cover of this book has a nice timeline. This book covers (through maps) subjects such as urban design, parks, and segregation.

Transportation History

The Great Society subway : a history of the Washington Metro by Zachary M. Schrag
Call Number: HE4491.W44 W376 2006
ISBN: 080188246X
Publication Date: 2006
The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media has an online exhibit drawn from this book. See the entry on the Web Resources page of this guide for the link!

Literature

The Washington, D.C. of fiction : a research guide by James A. Kaser
Call Number: PS 11.7 .F4 K37 2006
ISBN: 0810857405
Publication Date: 2006
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the Reference section.

The Presidency & Presidential elections

Facts about the presidents : a compilation of biographical and historical information by Joseph Nathan Kane
Call Number: E176.1 .K3 1989
ISBN: 0824207742
Located on the first floor of Mullen in the general reference section. This resource provides biographical information and includes bibliographical references.

If you are interested in Presidential papers, be sure to check out the J80s range in the general reference section in Mullen Library. There you will find the public papers of many of the Presidents.

[image from flickr user Scott Ableman]

Presidential also-rans and running mates, 1788 through 1996 by compiled by Leslie H. Southwick.
Call Number: E175.1 .S695 1998
ISBN: 0786403101
Publication Date: 1998
Located on the first floor of Mullen in the general reference section. This resource provides biographical information and includes bibliographical references.

Congress & the Federal Government

Guide to Congress
Call Number: JK1021 .C565 2008
ISBN: 087289293X
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.
Guide to federal government acronyms by edited by William R. Evinger.
Call Number: JK464 1989
ISBN: 0897744586
This book is exciting as it sounds, brace yourself; but if you need help navigating all the seemingly random letters of the Federal Government, this resource will help.
The encyclopedia of the United States Congress by edited by Donald C. Bacon, Roger H. Davidson, Morton Keller.
Call Number: JK1067 .E63 1995
ISBN: 0132763613
This book is located on the first floor of Mullen in the main Reference section.