Skilled
legal researchers are accustomed to using state legal encyclopedias to
support the research of our students, faculty members, and communities. But
what about general encyclopedias devoted to individual U.S states and
regions?
Roughly half of the U.S. states have free,
online state encyclopedias available. Many state encyclopedias originated in the print era. Some were the
product of private groups like state historical associations, while others were
created by state archives or other agencies tasked with promoting local history
and culture. Encyclopedias moved online in 1999, with the publication of the Handbook
of Texas Online. Georgia followed suit in 2004 with the
first state encyclopedia designed specifically for online publication.
Then-Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, William Ferris, saw
an opportunity and established an NEH grant to support similar works. For
example, the Mississippi Encyclopedia was published in 2017 in both print and online versions. Regional
encyclopedias are less likely to be online, but are often held by academic
libraries.
State
encyclopedias are usually characterized by short entries giving a brief
overview of a topic. They may include references and/or links to other works on
the topic, like academic journal articles or scholarly monographs. Most online
encyclopedias also include hyperlinks within the text to other entries. Some
encyclopedias include the name of the author of the article and their relevant
biographical information. Like other types of encyclopedias, state
encyclopedias are best used as an introduction to a subject and then by
directing researchers to primary materials or more in-depth secondary sources.
Researchers
should exercise the same caution when using state encyclopedias as any other
reference materials; for example, anyone concerned with finding up-to-date
information should always check the publication date of an article. As the article accompanying the list on Wikipedia notes, “quality varies dramatically,” so
everyone should read with a critical eye. Researchers should also be aware
that, like any historical publication or product of a governmental agency,
state encyclopedias are not free of politics or bias. For example, older print
encyclopedias in the South often promoted Lost Cause ideology and other false
views of history. Fortunately, more recent publications are less likely to condone
those views and often deal with those issues by including articles about
political disputes, acknowledging multiple points of view, and explicitly
engaging with controversies about historical accuracy. Nevertheless, caution is
warranted.
How can we
use state encyclopedias to support legal research? Recently I have used online
state encyclopedias to find background information about a Native American
treaty for a student writing about current issues with the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. I also used an encyclopedia to find an in-depth scholarly monograph on
a major U.S. Supreme Court case for another student’s work. Many state
encyclopedias will have articles devoted to the political and legal life of the
state, including landmark cases. Entries on judges, legislators, governors, and
other political figures can yield helpful information. Ultimately, state and regional
encyclopedias can provide an excellent starting point for historical, cultural,
or interdisciplinary research on any number of legal topics.
* The
author of this article has contributed entries to the Mississippi Encyclopedia
and the New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.
Posted by Ellie Campbell on Wed. January 27, 2021 8:30 AM
Categories:
Uncategorized