Encyclopedias and other reference sources can be used to get an overview of a topic, or to get quick information on a person or an event. They can also help you verify dates, names, alternate spellings, etc.
Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History (ONLINE)
This online 2nd edition covers the Americas beyond just the U.S. with about 1300 articles with bibliographies
Africa and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. A Multidisciplinary Encyclopedia
The African American National Biography
The Underround Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations (ONLINE)
Slavery in the United Staes: A Social, Political, and Historical Encyclopedia (ONLINE)
Encyclopedia of Emancipaton and Abolition in the Transatlantic World
Encyclopedia of Free Blacks and People of Color in the Americas
Encyclopedia of African and African American Religions
African American Religious Cultures
Encyclopedia of African American Music