Biographical essays on (dead) people important to American history.
The American National Biography is a biographical encyclopedia of significant persons, no longer living, who have influenced the direction of American history. An American is loosely defined as someone whose significant actions occurred during his or her residence within what is now the United States or whose life or career directly influenced the course of American history. Significance includes achievement (superior accomplishment as judged by contemporaries), fame (celebrity or notoriety), or influence (effect on one's own time despite lack of public notice). Even some ordinary persons have been included if they left autobiographies, diaries, or other artifacts that attracted posthumous attention.
Many of the biographies include an illustration or photograph of the person, a bibliography or links to other resources. New biographies are added quarterly, and updates are also made quarterly to incorporate new facts and new interpretations as needed. Produced by Oxford University Press under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies.
